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- When the ghost of Hamlet's father reveals that Claudius killed him to take the throne, Hamlet vows to avenge his father’s murder. However, Hamlet is emotionally disorientated and finds it difficult to take action. He cannot balance his overwhelming hatred for Claudius, his all-encompassing grief, and the evil required to carry out his revenge.
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Faced with evidence that his uncle murdered his father, evidence that any other character in a play would believe, Hamlet becomes obsessed with proving his uncle’s guilt before trying to act. The standard of “beyond a reasonable doubt” is simply unacceptable to him.
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To summarise: in Hamlet the two women characters are guilty of weakness and disloyalty. Neither is morally perceptive, and both submit to tutelage from men who act as rulers (Polonius and Ophelia); as moral and strategic mentors (Laertes and Ophelia, Hamlet and Gertrude); and as accusers and judges (Hamlet and Ophelia, Hamlet and Gertrude).
This Hamlet character analysis reveals Shakespeare's most complex character. Explore Hamlet's emotional turmoil in our Hamlet Character Analysis.
- Hamlet. The protagonist of the tragedy, Hamlet is a beloved prince and a thoughtful, melancholy young man. Distraught by his father’s death, Hamlet is only made more depressed by his uncle Claudius’ succession to the throne and his subsequent marriage to his mother.
- Claudius. Claudius, the play's antagonist, is the king of Denmark and Hamlet’s uncle. According to the ghost of Hamlet’s father, Claudius is his killer. When we are first introduced to Claudius, he scolds Hamlet for still being so glum about his father’s death and forbids him to return to his university studies in Wittenberg.
- Polonius. Polonius is the main advisor to the king, also known as the Lord Chamberlain. Pompous and arrogant, Polonius is also the overbearing father of Ophelia and Laertes.
- Ophelia. Ophelia is Polonius’s daughter and Hamlet’s lover. She is obedient, agreeing not to see Hamlet anymore at her father's suggestion and spying on Hamlet when asked by Claudius.
Jun 18, 2024 · Analysis of Hamlet’s Character. Eliot’s most controversial argument revolves around Hamlet’s character. He contends that Hamlet is an artistic failure as a character because Shakespeare failed to provide a “sufficient objective correlative” for Hamlet’s emotions and actions.
Need help on characters in William Shakespeare's Hamlet? Check out our detailed character descriptions. From the creators of SparkNotes.
Learn more about the characters of Hamlet, Ophelia, Claudius and Gertrude, with photo galleries and study grids to complete. We explore key questions. What leads to Hamlet's downfall? What drives Ophelia to madness? why does Claudius murder his brother? Why does Gertrude marry Claudius?
