The Theme Of Chivalry In The Tragedy Of Hamlet

To summarize his most notable flaw, Prince Hamlet of Denmark reasons that “there is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.” Throughout Shakespeare’s play, The Tragedy of Hamlet, the main character maintains a grieving state in memoriam of his father, and in doing so thinks himself into insanity and inaction, but also struggles indefinitely with the passing of chivalry and its replacement by a hunger for power or revenge. Hamlet exemplifies the harmful consequences of refusing to adapt to new circumstances by obsessing over times past and dedicating himself to revenge on his uncle instead of “moving on” as others encouraged. The transition from the chivalric era of King Hamlet’s reign to Claudius’ Machiavellian power-obsessed

Throughout the play, the prince relentlessly competes with the newfound authority of his superiors, most notably Polonius and King Claudius. While discussing his concerns with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, Hamlet sarcastically concedes that “it is not very strange; for my uncle is King of/Denmark, and those that would make mouths at/him while my father lived” (2.2 386-388), proving his disgust for Claudius and the violent way in which he has entered Hamlet’s life. Furthermore, the prince continuously attempts his revenge on Claudius’ life throughout the play, sacrificing his own wellbeing in doing so. For instance, he admits that he has “a father killed, a mother stained/And let all sleep, while, to [his] shame [he sees]/The imminent death of twenty thousand men/O, from this time forth/[His] thoughts be bloody, or be nothing worth” (4.4.46-69) while viewing the seemingly pointless march of Fortinbras’ army. It is clear that Hamlet’s desire for revenge has led to the deterioration of his mental state. Similarly, the prince’s struggle with Claudius and his Machiavellian style ruling cause his downfall in conjunction with this fatal