Hamlet

Among the many themes and attitudes that come about through William Shakespeare’s

Hamlet none other than the underlying thought of doubt, shape the play and its characters in such a dramatic way. In fact the plays main questions and events all come about due to some doubt and uncertainty from any multitude of characters. Although a common theme for many no other one character portrays this literary theme and crippling condition then the stories main focus and protagonist, prince Hamlet. Hamlet struggles with believing the evidence brought to him of his fathers death, and goes through much indecision and pondering about life, death and his future endeavors before he eventually fufils his purpose. Hamlet even after he’s chosen his path is crippled by his chronic indecision and failure to act, and in the end is brought down by it. Through Hamlet we are clearly shown that doubt and thought have there place, but too much can and in hamlets becomes his downfall.

As with many plays and novels the early scenes often foreshadow later events or some ultimate truth that will shape coming events. In the first scene before we see the ghost we see Bernardo and Francisco exchange a few words. “Who’s there-Nay, answer me. Stand and unfold yourself.-Long live the king” (1.1.1-3) From these brief lines we can see that the play starts off with a question about identity. Although both Francisco and Bernardo are both guards and are on the same side, they have no intentions of disclosing who they really are. There brief exchange mirrors that which is to happen in the royal family shortly after. Marcellus offers us another short glimpse into this theme when he says “something is rotten in the state of Denmark.”(1.4) early in the play.

In hamlets cas...

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... comes back to hurt him. Ophelias’ new found doubt in what was once hamlets love coupled with her fathers death, drives her insane and ultimately leads to her suicide.

Hamlets doubt infiltrates all aspects of the play, from his inner struggles with identity to his enemy Claudius and every character in between. Hamlet never quite overcomes this until shortly after he himself falls victim to both his doubt and Claudius’ and Laertes’ trap. Only after being stabbed by the poisoned rapier and hearing directly from Laertes that he was set up can he act with out doubt. In his final moments with Claudius soon to be dead and his mission and doubt over come, Hamlet tells Horatio to live nd tell his story. In this moment of clarity for hamlet he is able to see life as worth living for his friend outside the shroud of revenge and death that he had until recently been under.