How Is Hamlet A Dynamic Character

Shakespeare depicts dynamic characters as progressive or regressive to show how a situation builds on their personal characterization. Shakespeare puts individuals into situations that push them to either progress or regress as a character. This characterization can be seen in two of his plays, Hamlet and King Lear. In Hamlet, the main character, Hamlet, falls into madness. The situations Hamlet is put in drives him further towards the state of Madness we see him in by the end of the play. This can also be seen in King Lear with the character, Kent. Unlike Hamlet, Kent jumps into his character, his progressive characterization is more rapid at first. Hamlet, however, has a slow transition into the madman he ends up portraying. Shakespeare shows

both as progressive character, however, as the situations they’re put in push them into the character they’re portraying. Hamlet’s situation wears him down, pushing him further towards madness as the play progresses. Perhaps it could be because of the ghost’s appearance, or perhaps the jumbling of his family as his mother marries his uncle, who murders his father. Kent’s father, however, rejects him, and he jumps into his new character, using the disguise to speak his mind. However, the character Edgar shows a regressive characterization as the play moves forward. After seeing his blind father who wishes to commit suicide, Edgar is seen slipping up from his character and becoming himself again. He differs from Kent and Hamlet as he is placed in a position in which he is pushed away from the character originally sets out to portray.