Hamlet Madness

Hamlet Madness

Hamlet is the classic story of the young Danish Prince who seeks revenge for the untimely death of his father. Where, his brother Claudius was responsible for their father's death and was able to transcend to the throne, because of this action. After Hamlet's father appears to him in a dream, he vows to revenge his father's death at all costs. This would set the plot of the play, as there would be the constant struggle between Hamlet and those who are holding power. To fully understand the underlying meaning that William Shakespeare is trying to instill upon the reader; requires examining two contemporary articles that are written about the play. This will provide the greatest insights as to what are some of the different interpretations of this classic piece of literature.

In the article, Psychosocial Evaluation in the Decision Making Process, it talks about the various challenges that are faced by leaders. This is important because the author uses Hamlet as the classic example of decision making, where the various phrases throughout the play contribute to the indecisive actions that Hamlet takes. A phrase that the article identifies which helps to increase the overall amounts of confusion is, "To be or not to be." Where, the author feels that the use of this language supports the idea that William Shakespeare is trying to show Hamlet as a confused young man, who is unsure about how to avenge his father's death. Because of the lack of decisions that he makes about going after Claudius, this delays the ability of Hamlet to quickly rectify the situation. As a result, a series of different events will spin out of control that will result in the death of the Royal family at the end of the play, including Hamlet. What all of this shows, is that the indecisiveness of Hamlet only makes the situation worse. This is because Hamlet does not immediately finish off Claudius. Instead, he is haunted by his demons of the past and allows former loyalties to sway his opinions about when he should kill him. This makes the situation worse, as the process of seeking his revenge, allows Claudius to develop a counter plan that results in the tragic loss of the entire family. Had Hamlet been able to take decisive actions and quickly finish off Claudius, he more than likely would have ascended to the throne and avenged his father's death. ("Psychosocial Evaluation in the Decision Making Process")

In the article, Hamlet and His Problems, it talks about the underlying problems that Hamlet must constantly wrestle with in the play the most notable would include: his relationship with his mother. According to the author, this is one of the issues that gives Hamlet a complex, where he has a number of different complicated emotional issues. Yet, he has no way of effectively sorting these different emotions out. According to the article, William Shakespeare is using these complex emotions to help audience relate to the complex issues that he is wrestling with. A good example of this can be seen with the following passage from the play where it says, "O that this too solid flesh would melt, Thaw, and resolve itself into a dew! Or that the Everlasting had not fix'd His canon 'gainst self-slaughter! O. God! O. God! How weary, stale, flat, and unprofitable Seem to me all the uses of this world! Fie on't! O. fie! 'tis an unweeded garden, That grows to seed; things rank and gross in nature Possess it merely. That it should come to this! But two months dead! -- nay, not so much, not two: So excellent a king; that was, to this, Hyperion to a satyr; so loving to my mother, That he might not beteem the winds of heavenmVisit her face too roughly. Heaven and earth! Must I remember? Why, she would hang on him as if increase of appetite had grown by what it fed on: and yet, within a month, -- Let me not think on't, -- Frailty, thy name is woman! -- a little month; or ere those shoes were old With which she followed my poor father's body Like Niobe, all tears; -- why she, even she, -- O God! A beast that wants discourse of reason, Would have mourn'd longer, -- married with mine uncle, My father's brother; but no more like my father Than I to Hercules: within a month;