Lessons of Hamlet
Yasmin Hafez
540180
ENG 4U0
November.13,2017
Why should Hamlet be studied, that is the question. In William Shakespeares Hamlet, it can be looked at as a story filled with life lessons that include indecision, revenge and lack of trust and its consequences. These three topics are repeated multiple times in the play and are the main reasons for almost every character’s downfall. With his doubts clouding his judgment, Hamlet is unable to act.
Indecision leads to self destruction. Hamlets indecisive personality leads to devastation upon the entire kingdom. The reason for his indecisiveness is because of his concern towards his current situation and thus does not take action until the end of the play. In Hamlets “To be, or not to be” speech he describes how he feels at that moment in his life. He says, “To be, or not to be, that is the question; whether ‘tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune” (Shakespeare III, I, 56-58). He questions whether it is more noble to live and suffer his faulty deeds or just end his miserable life. Later on in the play, Hamlet is in a room with Claudius and has a chance to kill him. He contemplates, “Now might I do it pat, now a’ is a-praying; and now I’ll do it, and so he goes to heaven, and so am I reveng’d”(Shakespeare III, III, 73-75). The following event is not so much of indecision but the opposite; inaction.” How now! a rat? Dead for a ducat, dead!” (Shakespeare III,IV, 24-25). This scene is the rising action of the play. Hamlet goes to see his mother, Gertrude, and notices someone behind the drapes and thinks it’s Claudius and attacks him and kills him without thinking twice. When he reveals his face it turns out to be Polonius.
Revenge is one of the main themes of this play. It affected almost every character. Revenge sometimes can cause more problems than solve them. In the Qur’an there is a verse that mentions, “The repayment of a bad action is one equivalent to it. But if someone pardons and puts things right, his reward is with God. Certainly He does not love wrongdoers” (Ash-uraa, 42:40). This verse means if someone sins, his punishment is between him and God; forgive and move on. With regards to this, Hamlet wants to avenge his fathers death. He starts planning his revenge when he sees the ghost. “The serpent that did sting thy father’s life now wears his crown” (Shakespeare I, V, 39-40). The ghost, is the one that tells him who killed him,Claudius, and that’s when Hamlet is then filled with anger and wants revenge. This act of revenge was the main complication in Hamlet. His anger towards his uncle is the cause of his change in personality through out the play. Moreover, when Laertes finds out his father has been killed he comes back to Denmark to find out that Hamlet is the one who has done ...
