Hamlet Essays (280 words) - Fiction, English-language Films, Film

Hamlet Hamlet The time is out of joint. O cursed spite, That ever I was born to set it right! Shakespeare profoundly epitomizes the dominant character in his play, Hamlet. In the tragedy, Hamlet is both a hero and a victim. At the start of the play Hamlet's character is an intelligent scholar who is admired and respected by the townspeople. The plot begins when Hamlet's father appears to him as a ghost and asks his son to kill Claudius, the man who murdered him, disrupting the lives of Hamlet and everyone in the castle. Hamlet is intensely emotional at this time. His mother's incestuous marriage to his uncle and his father's sudden death contribute to his grief. To make things worse, Hamlet must now kill his father's murderer, which aggravates his distress. At this point in time, disgusted and disappointed, Hamlet breaks down and recites the quote above, expressing his state of turmoil. The ghost's demand is almost more than he is able to bear, leading Hamlet to question his life. At first Hamlet is passionate about taking revenge on the man who secretly murdered his father who was the former King. Yet, Hamlet quickly realizes the heavy burden of his duty. As a result, he becomes unsure of himself and is unable to arrive at a quick decision and take action. He changes from a reflective and thoughtful prince to a man filled with melancholy and madness. When Hamlet is given a task that is unfamiliar to him, he does not know how to handle the situation. The situation demands him to make a decision which goes against his morals. Consequently, he signifies his feelings with this phrase and says how cursed he is to be born to set the problem right. Shakespeare Essays