Hamlet Still Alice Character Analysis

In the stories of Hamlet, Still Alice, and Life of Pi, the protagonists Pi Patel, Alice Howland, and Hamlet each respond to adversity very differently. Helen Keller states, ‘Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved’” (“BrainyQuote”). By this, Keller states that one’s character is developed through life experiences and the coinciding challenges. The obstacles faced in life are what make one’s character thrive and grow. In all three literary works, the protagonists develop differently through their unique responses to obstacles of internal conflict, isolation, and suffering.

Internal conflict is evident in the protagonists Hamlet,

Hamlet’s character develops through isolation, as he finds it Newman 4 difficult to trust others. The two characters Hamlet thought he could trust, Rosencratz and Guildenstern, betray Hamlet by creating an alliance with Claudius, “But we both obey, and here give up ourselves, in the full bent to lay our service freely at your feet, to be commanded” (2.2.29-32). After learning the two are corresponding with Claudius, Hamlet becomes very angry and loses faith in the value of trust. The value of trust is diminished in Hamlet’s eyes through the actions of his mother, Polonius, friends Rosencratz and Guildenstern, as well as his uncle, Claudius. His mother is having an affair with his uncle, betraying the bonds of marriage. Polonius, the Lord Chamberlin of Claudius’ court and father to Ophelia and Laertes, is plotting with Claudius to remove Hamlet from becoming a greater threat to the throne. Hamlet’s best friends become double-crossers, betraying Hamlet and contradicting the agreement to take down Claudius. Also, Hamlet’s uncle Claudius kills his father to gain possession of the throne. Due to the multitude of events that display broken trust and harmful relationships, Hamlet removes himself from humanity and is isolated with his thoughts. He loses all interest in things that have once given

The death of his father plays a large role in his suffering, and results in Hamlet contemplating his own existence, “O, that this too- solid flesh would melt, / Thaw, and resolve itself into a dew / Or that the Everlasting had not fixed / His canon 'gainst self-slaughter! O God, God!” (1.2.129-132). Shakespeare’s use of imagery reinforces the theme of Hamlet’s extreme suffering, as he would rather have his flesh melt and result in dew, suggesting Hamlet would rather take his life than live with the pain of his father’s death. Although Hamlet contemplates suicide, he cannot commit to this action as it is considered a sin. His ploy of becoming angry goes so far that Hamlet truly becomes mad. His antic Newman 7 disposition also leads to the suffering of himself, and many of his loved ones. Alice’s suffering roots from her loss of intelligence and identity. As a professor at Harvard, Alice’s identity was once based on her intelligence. The author uses Irony to reinforce suffering in this novel. An example being Alice’s career as a professor of linguistics and cognitive function at Harvard, ironically Alice is diagnosed with Alzheimers. Alice’s experiences with Alzheimers disables her to write, eventually speak, and is a degenerative brain