The Character of Shakespeares Hamlet Essay -- GCSE English Literature

juncture is arguably the greatest dramatic character eer created. From the moment we meet the crestf completelyen Prince we are enraptured by his fair intensity. Shrouded in his inky cloak, Hamlet is a man of radical contradictions -- he is reckless yet cautious, courteous yet uncivil, tender yet ferocious. He meets his fathers death with consuming outrage and righteous indignation, yet shows no contriteness when he himself is responsible for the deaths of the meddling Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, and the pontificating lord chamberlain, Polonius. He uses the fragile and devoid Ophelia as an outlet for his disgust towards the Queen, and cannot comprehend that his own vicious speech communication have caused her insanity. Hamlet is full of faults. But unlike Macbeth, who has committed pip and, as a direct consequence, has been relegated to the heap of weak-willed villains, Hamlet has remained a daimon of sorts -- his faults having been quashed under his good qualities. What a re Hamlets good qualities? How is it that even seemingly cast out qualities like indecisiveness, hastiness, hate, brutality, and obsession can enhance Hamlets position as a tragic hero -- a prince among men? To answer these questions we must journey with Hamlet from beginning to end, and examine the many facets of his character. Our first impression of Hamlet sets the gradation for the whole play. Even without Shakespeare providing an elaborate description of Hamlets features, we can envision his discolour face, tousled hair, and intense, brooding eyes. Dressed totally in black, Hamlet displays all the forms, moods and shapes of grief. His mother cannot help tho notice Hamlets outward appearance of mourning, but Hamlet makes it clear that the overt signs o... ...ally die, it is his princely qualities that make the lasting print in our minds. Hamlet remains The courtiers, soldiers, scholars, eye, tongue, sword, The expectancy and rose of the fair state, The ice of fashion, and the mould of form The observd of all observers (III.i.153-56) Bibliography Bradley, A.C. Shakespearean Tragedy. (New York St. Martins Press, 1966). Burnett, Mark, ed. New Essays on Hamlet. (New York AMS Press, 1994). Evans Lloyd Gareth. Shakespeare IV. (London Oxford university Press, 1967). Granville-Barker, Henry. Prefaces to Shakespeare.3 (New York, cumulation and Wang, 1970). Loske, Olaf. Outrageous Fortune. (Oslo Oslo University Press, 1960). Muir, Kenneth. Shakespeare and the Tragic Pattern, Proceedings of the British Academy, Vol.XLIV (London Oxford University Press, 1958).