From a novel or a play choose a character whose main is pulled in conflicting directions by two compelling desires, ambitions obligations, or influences. Then, in a well-organized essay, identify each of the conflicting forces and explain how this conflict within one character illuminate the meaning of the work as a whole. Meant to outline the futility of action William Shakespeare’s tragic drama Hamlet explains how courage and cowardice of a person will only matter in the present.
Using the theme of Honor that drives actions Shakespeare’s play uses the actions of hamlet to do so. Prince Hamlet who’s father has recently passed away, has to leave the throne to his cunning and mischievous uncle; until the ghost of his father tells hamlet to avenge him in his honors. In the end, the duty of honor leads to a series of unfortunate events outlined by critical thematic action. The beginning of the play starts but Claudius taking taking the throne of past king hamlet. Although it should ruling, Hamlet is compelled by his respect to his uncle to obey him.
This scene is useful for identifying Prince Hamlet since he believes it is too early for people to celebrating a new king while his father is only been dead for the months. it is not that the idea of honor is present here, but that it is missing. hamlet believes it is much too early to allowing a new king, ;their lack of respect drives an idea that a person’s image should be respected and not lost to time. After a journey in the woods, Prince Hamlet meets with the ghost of his father explaining that his death was not an accident, but a murder.
In in its own way Hamlet has a decision of whether he should believe the ghost and slay Claudius in t his honor, or let the throne of Denmark be defiled by his uncle. The inner conflict is that Hamlet wants to slay his uncle but is scared of the duty he has at hand. should he kill his uncle and courageously take back the throne of en,ark or let his cowardice make his decision of him and do nothing? Is his father’s image so great that he will not let anybody defile it; bringing us to the theme of cowardice in life of duty or action?
Moving along with the play, Shakespeare places characters that give reason for Hamlet to take actions. In instance an actor begins to cry because he has the ability to. In Hamlet’s mind this makes him worthless since the actor has no reason to cry, no emotion to so , while he has all the reason in the world but just can’t. This inability to act outlines Shakespeare’s idea where actions can only be done with a conviction to do it, such as honor. In a way. shakespeare is mocking his character because of how cowardly hamlet is acting even when there lies many things at stake if he doesn’t commit .
However, near the end of the play, before Hamlet is planning to kill Claudius he encounters the skull of his former jester. Hamlet is applied by the idea that such a great man will lie lifeless and motionless in the ground,like dirt. The significance is how great men will fall only their image will last< Much like julius Caesar and his father their bodies lie in the dirt, only their image lasting: the only reason hamlet should act is out of his own accord, in the end, all actions will remain futile since nobody will live forever in the specter of the world.
