Free Hamlet Essays: Conflict of Will

The conflict of the will and the feelings of an individual opposed to the will and the feelings of the majority, is a major conflict in the play Hamlet, and one which is experienced by many of the characters. Characters like Hamlet, Ophelia, Laertes, and Fortinbras are shown as having been opposing or having conflicting feelings with the majority of people in their society. The main conflict in the play is the one between Hamlet and King Claudius, which in a way symbolizes Hamlet's conflict with the society around him.

King Claudius, as the new ruler of Denmark is the man who sets the rules, and the one after whom the aristocratic society models. Since becoming king and marrying Hamlets mother Gertrude, Claudius becomes the person who is looked up at by the rest of the people, and the person whose actions show the society around him how to live their lifestyle and what's accepted and not accepted in his kingdom. Meanwhile Hamlet, who is still mourning for the death of his father, while the rest of the people celebrate the wedding and the coronation of Claudius, is left in the shadows. Hamlet doesn't join the festivities and celebration because in his eyes the quick marriage and coronation are inappropriate at the time of mourning of the death of his father. This is the first aspect the reader sees of Hamlet acting opposite to what the society is doing.

Throughout the middle of the play Hamlet is also going against society, but not the society itself, but against the set rules and values of the society. Hamlet starts acting as if mad, and says things that offend everyone around him. But not only his remarks and actions demonstrate his opposition to the society surrounding him. When Hamlet wants to kill Claudius and avenge his father, he is not looking for sole act of revenge, but he is pursuing his goal as one of rightness, truthfulness and honor. Hamlet has a different set of values, even though he may want to achieve the same goal as some of the other characters in the play his values prevent him to act until he feels confident enough that what he is doing is right. This is why Hamlet passes his chance to murder Claudius during confession even though he has a clear shot at his life.

Hamlet's values, which at first prevent him from killing Claudius in the chapel, ironically lead him to kill Polonius.