Hamlet’s slaying of Polonius only leads Hamlet to believe that it was a heaven-sent tool of vengeance to punish Polonius’s sins and to stain his own soul with blood. Shakespeare’s use of dramatic irony exposes the deeper meaning and function of Hamlet’s actions. Hamlet denounces Ophelia in order to break all emotional connections with her, although this gets him no closer to revenge with Claudius. Hamlet expresses the same prejudice and hate in his outburst towards Ophelia that he does when he is thinking aloud to himself. Hamlet’s ingenious scheme to write a play in order to trigger a guilty reaction from Claudius is not typical of a madman.
He then comes up with a plan to have the actors put on a play that is similar to the Murder of King Hamlet. Hamlet assumes that if Claudius has a reaction towards the play, he is guilty. This soliloquy is important because it reveals that Hamlet believes that he is dull spirited, it also points out that Hamlet is frustrated at himself for not having killed Claudius yet. All Hamlet is thinking about for the duration of this soliloquy is Claudius, and how he killed King Hamlet. Toward the end, Hamlet comes up with an idea to know if Claudius is guilty.
Though his planned maneuver to murder his uncle Claudius, the contrast between his feigned madness and Ophelia’s true madness, and his ability change behavior around different characters that possess his trust, Hamlet’s true, rational condition emerges from beneath his veil of insanity. Hamlet is not truly mad because he is merely using the guise if madness as part of his plan to murder Claudius. After the ghost of old King Hamlet relates the dreadful story of his demise to the young prince Hamlet realizes that his abhorrence of his uncle Claudius is wholly justified. To avenge his father’s murder, Hamlet valiantly uses his keen mind to devise a plan that will confuse Claudius and lure his uncle into a false sense of security. Hamlet decides the best method of deception to trick Claudius is to pretend that he suddenly becomes a raving lunatic.
Hamlet: Often, a person procrastinates when it comes to a conflict because of fear of the possible outcomes. In William Shakespeare's play, Hamlet, the idea of procrastination results in disaster. The author demonstrates Hamlet's failure to act through the many deplorable scenes within the play. Ultimately, Hamlet is a tragic hero and his failure to act out is what makes him a tragedy. Hamlet pursues his failures by holding off his intentions to kill Claudius, unsuccessfully claiming his love for Ophelia, and the accidental murder of Polonius.
Iago not only attempts to seek out his own personal revenge, but he manipulates several other characters in order to help him reach his own goal. He plays on the other characters’ weaknesses and personal tragedies to help him reach his own ultimate revenge. As is proven by the end of the play, Shakespeare is clearly stating his personal belief that revenge is improper. This can be seen through the ultimate downfall of Iago and all those involved. In his play Othello, Shakespeare uses the plot, characters, and ultimate destructive ending to all to show the reader his opinion that all revenge is improper.
While Hamlet scrutinizes and evaluates the consequences of his actions, Laertes acts without forethought, saying, "Let come what comes only I'll be revenged / Most thoroughly for my father" (IV.v.138). However, his hastiness allows him to fall victim to Claudius' manipulative nature and he becomes a puppet in Claudius' plot to dispose of Hamlet. This accentuates one of Hamlets strengths, one that he reveals when he states, "Call me what instrument you will you cannot play upon me." (III.ii.380) he is not easily influenced by the people around him. Laertes further highlights Hamlet's strengths when he states that he would "cut [Hamlet's] throat i' the church" (IV.vii.126).
Before we meet Prince Hamlet, Horatio makes us believe that he is a very courageous and brave man. “Unto young Hamlet; for upon my life, this spirit, dumb to us, will speak to him”. However, when we meet him he’s depressed and is still mourning the death of his father. “Good Hamlet, cast thy nighted colour off, and let thine eye look like a friend on Denmark” When Prince Hamlet meets the Ghost we find out he wants revenge against Claudius. Prince Hamlet seems keen to avenge his father’s death, but throughout the narrative we see Hamlet hesitate to kill Claudius, he may be finding it hard as Claudius is the King and also a relative.
In the events leading up to his demise, Laertes is corrupted by Claudius and his evil motives. He is seduced by Claudius, and since Laertes is a man of action, he is manipulated into seeking revenge against Hamlet. Claudius convinces him that Hamlet is behind the death of both his father and sister and his rage gets the best of him. “He is justly served./It is a poison tempered by himself./ Exchange forgiveness with me, noble Hamlet./ Mine and my father’s death come not upon thee,/ Nor thine on me.”
Hamlet also expresses the possibilities that the ghost could have been the devil. Although hamlet gets upset with himself he believes that the play he arranged would display Claudius’ guilt and then he will know for sure he killed his father. This reveals to the audience that Hamlet is a procrastinator and he is a coward. In Hamlet’s fifth soliloquy he contemplates the idea of suicide, he suggests that maybe the only reason we choose life is because we know so little about death other than it Is final. After contemplation Hamlet decides not to take his own life.
Everyone pities Laertes as his father and sister die; however Claudius uses this as an advantage to have Laertes kill Hamlet. Hamlet comes back to Denmark, much to Laertes’ advantage, with no knowledge of his upcoming demise. Gertrude feels sorry for Laertes and comes back with Ophelia’s death in scene vii. Laertes is mad at Hamlet and wants to kill him. Laertes is a foil of