Hi all.
I've just been doing the 2006 exam (as you would know from my other post RE: language analysis), and I have done my part 1 essay (I chose the Hamlet topic).
Topic: Why does Hamlet delay in avenging his father's death?
Any opinions on my essay are welcome. If possible, can I get an indication of what mark out of 10 this would score in the exam?
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In Shakespeare's Hamlet, the complexity of the protagonist's character provides insight into his deadly delay in avenging his father's death. Hamlet was an educated scholar who was deeply devoted to his father but his religious character traits, along with his focus on the events proceeding his father's "most unnatural" death lead him into a fate which seems all but inevitable.
Hamlet was an educated man who was highly respected as a prince. His tendency to think before acting did however prove to have tragic consequences for the "royal" Hamlet. Hamlet's education indeed prevented him from simply believing Horatio's revelations on seeing the ghost of his late father, yet his action in that "[he] will follow" certainly depicts Hamlet as someone who is willing to accept the existence of the supernatural. The young prince would do anything for his father, for which he looked up to even after his supposed accidental death. It was evident that Hamlet was mystified with his father's revelations of poisoning: "O my prophetic soul, my uncle?" Without thinking, Hamlet agreed to be placed under an oath to avenge his father's death, regardless of the evil act that he would have to instil on Denmark. Hamlet explicitly wanted to take revenge for this murderous act, but he failed to think of the consequences for what he was getting himself into.
A deeply religious person, Hamlet was not willing to "taint [his] soul" in order to gain his revenge. The burden on Hamlet, resulting from his inability to act even though he knew he must do so, adversely affected Hamlet's state of mind. Hamlet even considered suicide as an alternative: "O that this too too sullied flesh would melt." Despite his thoughts on taking his own life, Hamlet refused to do so on religious grounds, unsure whether life after death would in fact be worse. Hamlet's refusal to take Claudius' life is attributed to his high sense of morality, preventing him from taking one's life unless he is certain that he has the grounds to do so. Believing that "the spirit [he] hath seen may be a devil", Hamlet's deliberate "antic disposition" was a ploy that only put Hamlet in a deeper and more dangerous position.
Hamlet was certainly focused on catching Claudius out and therefore gaining his revenge, but his obsession with the antics of Denmark's women cost him time which only led to tragedy. Following his father's death, he noble soldier found it difficult to comprehend his mother's actions. Knowing that Gertrude was visibly loyal to Old King Hamlet while he was alive, Hamlet was disgusted by the new relationship, especially being "nay, not too months." Gertrude's "incestuous sheets" deeply troubled Hamlet who tried to make sense of his mother's sudden new husband. Comparing their relationship to a "nasty sty", Hamlet became more focused on his mother instead of focusing on the task which he had promised his father that he would carry out. In verbally and nearly physically attacking his mother in the closet scene, Hamlet's "antic disposition" turned into a representation of pure madness; a result of his frustration due to his own inaction. Pleading with her not to go to Claudius' bed that night, Hamlet's focus had certainly shifted away from the burden to act on his father's death.
Once being in love with Ophelia, Hamlet was angered by her actions towards him in a time when he needed her most. Ophelia's systematic nature when returning Hamlet's possessions caused Hamlet to further believe that women regularly change their faces, leaving Ophelia victim to a handful of abuse. Regardless of asking Ophelia whether she "is honest", Hamlet knew she was under instruction from the devious Polonius, demanding for her to "get thee to a nunnery." Hamlet had not previously looked at women in such a way. However an unfortunate sequence of events by both Gertrude and Ophelia led him to deeply resent their demeanours. Once again Hamlet's focus was not on his revenge, but on expressing anger and disgust at the "frailty" of women in general.
Hamlet was evidently a devoted son, but he was unable to successfully commit himself in acting out the revenge. Having proof of Claudius' evil deed, Hamlet was reluctant to commit regicide despite the irony of the situation in which Claudius had done just that in killing his father. The procrastination of Hamlet would have tragic consequences for many, yet Hamlet still questioned his delay instead of actually going ahead with the revenge. His slaying of Polonius in the closet scene proves that Hamlet is capable of taking a life. This action depicts the consequences which can occur when Hamlet fails to think before acting. Asking "is it the King?", Hamlet failed to realise he had just seen the King praying, making it impossible that he had slain the King behind the "arras."
Hamlet's procrastination in avenging the death of his father was a direct result from the multiple elements of his character. Instead of simply acting out of instinct, Hamlet would ask himself "To be, or not to be?", further putting off taking action and even contemplating suicide. The religious nature of Hamlet prevented him from simply committing regicide, and ultimately sealed Hamlet's tragic fate.
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