Hamlet’s Indecisiveness

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Summary

Hamlet, the protagonist of Shakespeare’s play, is a tragic character who is flawed and unable to overcome his indecisiveness. His father is murdered by King Claudius, which leads to Hamlet’s confusion and desire for revenge. However, he struggles to act upon his father’s murder due to his indecisiveness. This trait of his causes him to miss multiple opportunities to avenge his father’s death, even though he knows who the culprit is. Hamlet’s indecisiveness ultimately leads to his own tragic death and also costs the lives of others. Despite being portrayed as brave and intelligent, Hamlet is ultimately a coward and indecisive character. The play serves as a reminder that being decisive is important in making progress in life, and Hamlet’s inability to do so is his tragic flaw.

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Shakespeare wrote Hamlet and created his character as someone who would lead to his own tragic death. He had many flaws that lead to his eventual death, however there was one that he should have been able overcome. He could over come his indecisiveness, most people would be able to overcome it in their lives but Hamlet could not. In the play, Hamlet is supposed to be portrayed as brave and intelligent but looking deep into the play it is seen that Hamlet is more of a coward and an indecisive man through out most of the play.

Hamlet doesn’t know what he is doing in his life because he can’t act upon his father’s murder. King Claudius kills Hamlet’s father, so Hamlet is in a confused as to how he will get revenge. He wants to do what it takes to avenge his father’s death. “Revenge his foul and most unnatural murder,” demands the ghost in (Act I, scene 5, line 23). The ghost tells hamlet he needs to kill King Claudius but Hamlet is to busy consumed in all the problems he has, that he doesn’t act at the right time.

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He had many chances to do something about King Claudius but didn’t because he was too indecisive about it. For example: when the King is kneeling paying Hamlet has a chance to kill him but he doesn’t. He talks himself out of murdering him, and instead makes a play to see if he is guilty. Hamlet talks to the actors of the play and decides to make them act out his father’s murder. The makes the actors act out exactly what the ghost had told him. “Speak the speech, I pray you, as I pronounced it to you, trippingly on the tongue.

But if you mouth it, as many of your players do, I had as lief the town crier spoke my lines. Nor do not saw the air too much with your hand thus, but use all gently, for in the very torrent, tempest, and whirlwind of passion, you must acquire and beget a temperance that may give it smoothness”(Act 3, scene 2, line 1). Hamlet decides his uncle is guilty after seeing his reaction to the play and still doesn’t do anything about it. Hamlet never spoke up at the right time; he stayed quiet about everything.

During the play, Claudius yells, “Give me some light. Away” and Hamlet was sure of his uncle’s guilt (Act III, Scene 2, Line 152). Claudius was guilty and Hamlet should have taken advantage of Claudius being on the spot, but he didn’t. He went to go talk to his mother and gave time for Claudius to think what he should do. Hamlets indecisiveness cost him a lot. Most people can be decisive and make decisions when they are in favor of the person making the decision. Everyone has to make choices in their lives and they always do it in their favor.

People lie and cheat to save themselves, but Hamlet cant do this. In this world everyone looks out for there own best interests and make decisions based on that. Its simple you need to be decisive to make decisions to progress in your life. Hamlet’s lack of being able to do this cost him his life. It not only cost him his life but others too. If Hamlet was able to act quickly he could have saved himself. In the end hamlet does get revenge but it’s at the cost of his own life, which could have been avoided.

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