Examples Of Fatal Flaws In Hamlet

Hamlet’s Fatal Flaws

Is someone’s ultimate fate based on their actions? In William Shakespeare’s play, Hamlet, this seems to be the case. Hamlet is a distressed young man with a desire to get revenge for his father’s murder. He eventually gets what he wants, but it comes at a great cost. Although Hamlet’s sanity is questionable throughout the play, his eventual downfall is an explicit result of his absence of fortitude and ambition in avenging his father’s death.

Shakespeare has made it clear that Hamlet is suffering from a mental illness. However, it is unclear whether or not Hamlet has more than one mental illness. Hamlet is repeatedly wondering whether it would be better to be alive, or dead. “To be or not to be? That is the question/…”

(III.i.57-58). This alone shows that Hamlet could possibly be suffering from one or more varying mental illnesses, including depression and borderline personality disorder. Hamlet has shown various signs of depression throughout the play. “...signs and symptoms include:...thoughts of suicide, suicide attempts…” (“What is Depression?” 2). This article from the National Institute of Mental Health proves that Hamlet may in fact be suffering from depression, but there are different illnesses that could explain his erratic behavior.
On top of Hamlet’s suicidal thoughts, he has constant mood swings and behavioral changes which could be a direct result of another mental illness.

“Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is a serious mental illness marked by unstable moods, behavior, and relationships.” (“What is BPD?” 1). This quote directly relates to Hamlet, which shows that he could possibly have borderline personality disorder. Whether or not one believes that Hamlet has a mental illness, he still acts as if he is insane. This is why some would say that Hamlet is in fact crazy. “I did love you once.” (III.i.117). “I loved you not.” (III.i.120). Within seconds, Hamlet changed his thoughts and relationship view while speaking to Ophelia. Hamlet clearly is not in complete control of his thoughts and actions, which is an effect of his borderline personality disorder. Hamlet is unable to admit that he is truly insane, so he uses sarcasm to bring confusion upon the people around him. He does this in order to keep his own truths to himself and let others wonder what is actually happening to

him.
All throughout Shakespeare’s play, Hamlet uses plenty of sarcastic phrases to share his grief in a witty manner.

An example of this sarcasm is when Hamlet says, “I am too much I’ the sun” (I.ii.67). Hamlet is stating that he is not truly happy and is still grieving over his father’s passing, along with his mother’s rather quick marriage. Not only does Hamlet show that he is grieving through his sarcasm, he proves himself to be witty with his rapid responses. Another example of Hamlet using his sarcasm to disguise his inner grief is when he exclaims, “But my uncle-father and aunt-mother are deceived” (II.ii.361). This quote shows that Hamlet is still angry about what his mother had done and that he thinks of it as a cruel joke. Hamlet seems to be almost embarrassed that his mother married his father’s brother so quickly after his death and is disgraced with what his life has

become.
Hamlet also practices the use of sarcasm to add some humor to his sad life. “Into my grave.” (II.ii.206). Hamlet sarcastically said this subsequently to Polonius asking him to step outside, to let Polonius know that he would rather die than go outside and speak with him. This is another representation of Hamlet being depressed. Not only is Hamlet making fun of his depression, he is also making a mockery of his own craziness. “I am but mad north-north-west. When the wind is southerly, I know a hawk from a handsaw” (II.ii.364-365). In this quote Hamlet is saying that he is not crazy all of the time, only at certain times. He is making a mockery of the people who believe him to be crazy by claiming that he is only crazy sometimes. He is sarcastic when saying this because he knows that he is not completely sane, but he will not admit to being crazy. This quote of Hamlet’s truly shows that he is witty when it comes to confidently coming up with sarcastic remarks as to why he is not insane.
Even though Hamlet displays confidence by the way he speaks, inside he is full of self-hate, grief, and anger. A majority of Hamlet’s negative and suicidal thoughts are presented through his soliloquies. “The son of a dear father murdered/… must, like a whore, unpack my heart with words/ and fall a-cursing like a very drab,/ a scullion!” (II.ii.561-564). In this quote, Hamlet is showing his self-deprecation and grief. Hamlet is enraged with himself and what his life has become because he feels that since his father was murdered, his only purpose for living is to seek revenge. Hamlet no longer shows grief of the actual passing of his father, but he is grieving because he has yet to seek revenge on his father’s murderer. Just before the previous quote, Hamlet said, “Why, what an ass am I!” (II.ii.260). This is Hamlet showing the hate that he has towards himself by calling himself an “ass” and implying that he has a desire to be a better person.
Not only does Hamlet express his self-deprecation throughout his soliloquies, he also shows a continuation of suicidal thoughts by contemplating life and death. “Whether ‘tis nobler in the mind to suffer/ the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune/ or to take arms against a sea of troubles” (III.i.58-60). Hamlet is comparing what life is like, to what he believes death would be like. This is why it could be assumed that Hamlet is in fact depressed. He is questioning himself whether it would be better to live through all the misfortunes that life brings to the table, or to simply end his life and not have to go through any more hardships. “For who would bear the whips and scorns of time” (III.i.71). In this quote, Hamlet is seriously considering how much better it would be to take his own life, rather than continue on living in misery. Hamlet’s true feelings and emotions come out during his soliloquies and the audience is able to clearly tell that he is extremely unhappy and engulfed with negativity. This is why Hamlet constantly has suicidal thoughts racing through his mind and tends to procrastinate when it comes to eliminating them.
One may perceive Hamlet as impulsive for killing Polonius, but he is actually a very hesitant and indecisive character. “How now? A rat? Dead, for a ducat, dead!" (III.iv.24). Hamlet exclaimed that the spy shall be killed in this quote. He impulsively murdered the “rat”, which he believed to be Claudius, without any hesitation at all. Hamlet did not stop to think that it could not have possibly been Claudius behind the tapestry, because he had just seen him in the Chapel moments before. “To take him in the purging of his soul/ When he is fit and season'd for his passage?/ No./ Up, sword, and know thou a more horrid hent.” (III.iii.85-89). Hamlet proved to be hesitant in this quote when he was seconds away from killing Claudius while in the Chapel. Hamlet refrained from doing so because he believed that Claudius was praying and did not want to risk him going to Heaven when he belongs in Hell. The fact that Hamlet not only hesitates when making decisions, but also makes quick and irrational decisions, is proof of his overall indecisiveness.
The reason that Hamlet has yet to kill Claudius is because he is indecisive when it comes to how he feels, as well as the decisions he makes. Hamlet constantly struggles with what decisions he should make in different situations. “I am but mad north-north-west: when the wind is southerly, / I know a hawk from a handsaw” (II.ii.402-403). In this quote, Hamlet is saying that his behaviors are erratic and crazy only at certain times. This shows his indecisiveness because he is admitting that he is crazy, even though he has previously said that he is in fact not crazy, but merely acting. Another example of Hamlet’s indecisiveness is the previously mentioned quote, “To be, or not to be, that is the question:” (III.i.55). This quote shows Hamlet’s depression, as well as the fact that Hamlet is unable to make the decision of whether it would be better to be alive or dead. Just like Hamlet did when he was about to kill Claudius, he overthought the decision and ended up not making one at all. These incidents show the audience that Hamlet is unable to make a rational decision to do something, without acting in a crazy manner.
In conclusion, Hamlet truly is insane. His depression and borderline personality disorder have caused his life to go into a downwards spiral. Hamlet’s suffering from these mental illnesses caused his life to ultimately fall apart. The choices that he has made and the things that he has done, are not all what he wanted them to be. Hamlet was not responsible for his own downfall. From the evidence provided it is clear that Hamlet was not completely in control of his actions. After his father died his life changed forever and he lacked a purpose for living, other than seeking vengeance on Claudius. Hamlet would have loved to have been able to kill Claudius earlier in the play, but he just lacked the fortitude to do so. In the end, Hamlet got what he deserved, to avenge his father’s murder, but it came at the price of his mother’s life, as well as his own. Hamlet did not deserve to die, the entire play he was simply trying to do something good for his father, which was seeking revenge on his uncle for the murder. Shakespeare leads the audience to believe that if Hamlet’s father never passes away and his mother never remarries, he would have no reason to seek revenge or have a negative outlook on life. Claudius ultimately destroys Hamlet’s life in order to make his better, but in the end, he pays for his wrong doings.