The Conflict Between Reason And Passion In Hamlet

One of the major difficulties humans face is the conflict between reason and passion and risking the destructive effects that could occur when deciding how to act upon certain situations. In William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Prince Hamlet demonstrates the best example of how damaging the effects of the internal conflict between the two thoughts when he decides how to act on certain situations. Prince Hamlet overwhelmed by death, showing envy, and deciding how to act eventually leads to his self-destruction, developing the theme of the moral dilemma of the actions of people. For reason and passion, a major challenge that Hamlet faces leading to the moral dilemma is being overwhelmed by death. The conflict between reason and passion arises when

In this situation of Prince Hamlet’s actions, it shows his reason to over plan his situation out, however the passion to kill himself may not be the right choice, thus showing the moral dilemma between the two entities. In addition, the issue of reason and passion occurs when Prince Hamlet kills Polonius and his reaction upon this incident. As Hamlet thought he had just killed Claudius, but disappointed, he notices he killed Polonius, his immediate reaction is: “I do repent: but heaven hath pleased it so, to punish me with this and this with me,” (3.4.176-177). Thus, Hamlet seems so distracted and consumed on seeking revenge on Claudius that it conflicts with the reason of not showing grief and his true feelings. In contrast, Hamlet eventually sees the more rational decision ahead of his passions however the discovery of his choice of actions is too late. For instance, when Hamlet saw Ophelia in her grave, his reaction was both crazed and devastated: “I lov’d Ophelia. Forty thousand brothers could not with all their quantity of love make up my sum. What wilt thou do for her?” (5.1.247-249). The conflict of reason and

As a result of the two entities, envy can make a character to overthink. For instance, to further his plan with seeking revenge on Claudius, Hamlet states: “Oh, from this time forth, my thoughts be bloody, or be nothing worth!” (4.4.65-66). This explains his passion towards killing Claudius and forgetting the rational idea of the damaging effects that could occur after this deed is done, such as Hamlet risking his own life. Furthermore, the envy present in the play encouraged Hamlet to think irrationally and continue with his plan on avenging his father. In the little play where Hamlet makes the players change their lines he says: “Is it not monstrous that this player here, but in a fiction, in a dream of passion, could force his soul so to his own conceit…” (2.2 510-512). Hamlet talks about how awful it is for the players to manipulate their own feelings to create a work of make-believe, which shows the foreshadowing and metaphoric message of the poor choice of how Hamlet becomes that to act the same way to get rid of his envy, instead of the rational thinking about the negative effects that occur after his odd emotions touch people. Lastly, Hamlet’s envy as a result from the morals of deciding how to act on Claudius revenge death makes Hamlet think far ahead on the outcome he wants, rather than the outcome that could actually