Hamlet's Tragic Hero

“To be, or not to be? That is the question,” William Shakespeare authors this famous and widely used quote in his tragic play, Hamlet. In Hamlet, the main character is Hamlet, the prince of Denmark. Hamlet's father was murdered by his uncle, who then married Hamlet's mother as to become king. Hamlet is about Prince Hamlet's determination to follow through with avenging the death of his father. Shakespeare and Lewis' characters fall into the category of tragic heroes in that they have tragic flaws that eventually lead to their choosing their downfall with a too late realization, ending with the death of their loved ones and even themselves; the authors use their characters to teach the readers and the audience very valuable life lessons. Tragic

When Hamlet resolves that he is going to murder his uncle to avenge his father, he says that his thoughts be “bloody or nothing worth;” Hamlet feels that any thought he has that does not relate to avenging his father is utterly pointless (IV.v.69). Shakespeare's use of Hamlet's choosing of his own downfall to teach the audience that determination can be a bad thing, especially when in excess. Just as Hamlet chose his downfall with an overabundance of determination, so Orual also chooses her downfall though fierce determination. However, Orual was determined to have her sister all to herself. Lewis uses Orual to show the dangers of too much determination in that when Psyche was with Cupid, Orual was heartbroken that her sister was gone that she put everything in its place so it will be like when “[Psyche] was … still [Orual's]” because she is determined to not lose the power she has over Psyche (180). Lewis uses Orual's possessiveness over Psyche to show that even the most aggressive determination cannot change how a person feels. Shakespeare and Lewis both show how determination in excess can be a major cause to one's downfall, especially when the character chooses to be exceedingly

In both, Hamlet and Till We Have Faces, Hamlet and Orual suffer great loss of those they love. Hamlet loses his father, girlfriend, and mother. The death of Hamlet's mother, was at the hands of her second husband, and his uncle, as she warns Hamlet not to drink from the cup saying that it is the “drink, the drink! [She is] poisoned,” because she loves him with all her heart she uses her last words to make sure he is safe (V.ii.341). Shakespeare makes readers certain that the audience knows that Hamlet is a tragic hero in that everyone he cares about is unable to escape death, himself included. Orual and her loved ones are also all unable to escape death. Orual, like Hamlet, loses her mother and father, as well as, her tutor and even her own life is taken away. After the death of her tutor, Orual is shattered but gives him a “kingly funeral” because, to her, he was more of a father to her than her actual father, the king, ever was (236). Lewis uses the Fox's death to show the readers how death impacts those who love the ones who died. The death of Ophelia and his mother destroyed Hamlet, just as the death of the Fox devastated Orual. Shakespeare and Lewis use these deaths to teach the readers that there is no way to outsmart death but one must do what they can to help themselves get through the pain that comes after losing a loved