The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, William Shakespeare’s longest, and perhaps most notable, play explores several important aspects of the human condition. Hamlet’s battle between his emotions and logic, as well as his fatal flaws and what he considers to be morally good and looming evil, encased in a story of murder and betrayal enlightens audiences to contemplate the true meaning of being human. Ultimately, through Hamlet’s questioning of humanity and what it means to be alive and human, Shakespeare prompts the conversation in his audience.
From the very beginning, Hamlet is in turmoil between his head and his heart. Though he rationalises his actions, such as his decision to feign madness in order to deter Claudius, they are driven deeply by emotion. Hamlet’s grief over his father’s death not only impels him to dress in ‘nighted color’ and resent Claudius and Gertrude, but even causes him to spend the majority of the play plotting Claudius’ murder.
It is when he loses control of his hatred for Claudius that he impulsively kills Polonius in Act 3, Scene 2, ultimately causing his own peripeteia. Shakespeare portrays Hamlet as an emotionally driven character to allow his audience to sympathise with him no matter how drastic his actions. In contrast, emotion also plays a major role in the story through Claudius’ guilt over his brother’s murder.
When Hamlet enlists some players to act out the murder of King Hamlet, Claudius rises and angrily shouts ‘Give me some light! , asking for light to undo the darkness of his guilt. Claudius’s guilt eventually drives him to extremes to murder Hamlet as well to prevent his downfall. Shakespeare utilises emotions to make his characters accessible to audiences. Shakespeare’s portrayal of his characters as possessing human frailties and weaknesses creates a depth that allows his audiences to connect with them. Hamlet, himself, exhibits faults in his personality, often acting volatile and reckless in situations beyond his control.
In Act 1, Scene 3, Ophelia describes Hamlet as an admirer who had ‘made many tenders of his affection’ to her but later on, in Act 3, Scene 1, when they confront each other about their feelings, Hamlet angrily shouts ‘Get thee to a nunnery’, insulting her and not realising the possible consequences of his actions. Ophelia isn’t without flaws, herself, as shown by her tendency to be influenced by the men around her. Whilst it was common for the women during Shakespeare’s time to be obedient to their men, Ophelia’s submissiveness eventually drives her to insanity and leads to her uicide.
Furthermore, Ophelia’s father, Polonius, is also a fatally flawed character, with his peripeteia being his nosiness and propensity to pry, which then leads to his death. Shakespeare uses the weaknesses of each character to emphasise that human beings are flawed to warn his audience that if these flaws are not recognised, they may, and often will, bring misfortune. Hamlet also explores the human nature of good and evil, more specifically, whether people are inherently good or evil.
Throughout the play, Hamlet expresses his internalised battle between his mission to avenge his father’s death and his morality through his long soliloquies. For example, in Act 3, Scene 3, Hamlet has a golden opportunity to kill Claudius in his bedchambers but decides against it when he discovers Claudius is praying. He avers that to kill Claudius then, when he is confessing his sins, would be to send him to heaven. He exclaims that ‘this is hire and salary, not revenge’, saying that the action of killing Claudius mid-prayer would warrant a reward instead of being an act of revenge.
These conflicting feelings within Hamlet cause him to be indecisive with his actions. As England was in the midst of transitioning from barbaric medieval times to the more refined Renaissance period during the time of Hamlet, Shakespeare uses Hamlet’s confliction to highlight his progressive thinking in comparison to Claudius’ uncouth ways and to signal to his audiences the dawn of a new age. This play focuses on the human condition through Hamlet’s continual questioning of life and what it means to be alive and human.
For instance, when he is alone in Act 3, Scene 1, Hamlet questions whether it is better ‘to be or not to be’ or, in other words, whether it is better to continue living or embrace death. He continues to say that ‘to die’ is essentially ‘to sleep’ and questions that if sleep ‘can end the heartache’, is it nobler to live through the heartache or to die and travel ‘the undiscovered country’? Shakespeare uses this iconic soliloquy of Hamlet’s to create depth in the story and ultimately evoke the philosophical discussion within his audience.
Similarly, Hamlet has another existential crisis in Act 5, Scene 1, at the cemetery where he asks a gravedigger the difference between a rich man and a peasant once they are both dead, both buried and belonging to ‘Lady Worm’. Through this play, Shakespeare uses Hamlet’s profound frame of thinking to intrigue audiences. Shakespeare’s historic play, The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, was held in high regard with the Elizabethan audience due to the accessibility of the characters stemmed from the human condition.
The major role that emotion plays in the characters’ actions, the frailties that come with being human, the conflicting natures of good and evil as well as the big question of whether it is braver to continue living through adversity or die with glory all contribute to the play’s philosophical themes. It is through these themes that Shakespeare is able to connect with both his Elizabethan audience, as well as his audience today, in regards to the human condition.