Interpretation of Hamlet - Essay Example

Hamlet is one of the most famous plays by Shakespeare and it is considered a masterpiece in English literature. Hamlet is a classic tragedy by Shakespeare in which the hero meets his tragic end. It is a story about a prince who takes revenge on his uncle for the death of his father. It is a story of jealousy, treachery, and blind revenge. The story is thrilling and it grips the reader through the end. In this paper, we will do an analysis of the play and an attempt will be made to interpret Hamlet.
Interpretation of Hamlet
Many attempts have been made to interpret Hamlet and many themes are identified in the play. The character of Hamlet portrays a person torn between his nobility and feeling of revenge. The whole play masterfully represents an inner rift in Prince Hamlet. He is of noble blood so he is expected to act in a manner that is superior to the commoners but still his desire for vengeance is also forcing him to kill his uncle, Claudius. At times the noble Hamlet rises and stuns the audience and at other times his actions are seen as ill-mannered. This confusion also leaves the audience not sure what next will happen. When he has a chance to kill Claudius in prayers he refrains and says “Now might I do it pat, now he is praying; And now I'll do. And so he goes to heaven; and so am I revenged. That would be scanned: A villain kills my father; and for that, I, his sole son, do this same villain send to heaven. O, this is hire and salary, not revenge…” (Act 3. Scene 3). This shows the noble side of Hamlet as he spears his enemy’s life. The prince in Hamlet seems to function properly here.


Hamlet has royal blood but sometimes his actions do not depict the nobility that is expected of a noble. He says to his mother “Nay, but to live in the rank sweat of an enseamed bed, Stew'd in corruption, honeying and making love” (Act 3. Scene 4). In these lines, Hamlet is talking to her mother and shows no respect towards her. The relationship between a son and a mother is sacred and Hamlet destroys this relationship by questioning the character of her mother. Here Hamlet appears as a savage animal that is lost in the ocean of revenge. So there is a noble and a darker side to Hamlet and in the whole play, Hamlet is fighting with himself. The fight is between his noble and savage self. This is not uncommon in the plays of Shakespeare. Walter Kaufmann also suggests that “Shakespeare’s heroes are intermediate characters who are neither downright wicked nor outstanding in virtue” (p. 276). This is quite a true interpretation of Hamlet. The character of Hamlet shows no extreme behavior as he is not a noble gentleman nor is he devilishly wicked. This intermediacy is found in Hamlet.
Two more themes in Hamlet are clear throughout the play; depression of Hamlet and skepticism. Both of these themes portray specific sides of the hero’s character. Hamlet seems depressed throughout the play as he takes no joy in the surroundings around him. Even women cannot take his attention as he is engulfed in his desire for revenge. He is like a burning soul that pays no heed to his surroundings. Only his aim keeps him occupied and nothing else distracts him from his desire for vengeance. He says “How weary, stale, flat and unprofitable, Seem to me all the uses of this world” (Act 1, Scene 2). For a king who has all the pleasures of the world at his disposal to say such words means nothing but severe mental depression. Berzoff & Hayes also say in their book “In Hamlet, we Once again encounter futility, pessimism, and loss of humor that are signs of a depressed mood” (pg 358). Skepticism is another side of Hamlet’s character. He displays skepticism in his thoughts and this is symbolic of the philosophical aspect of the play. Hamlet says “To be or not to be” (Act 3, Scene 1) and this shows his skeptical nature of thought. The dissonance in Hamlet can be labeled as Skepticism. This is another side of Hamlet’s character. Read More