Is Hamlet even delaying his revenge or does it merely take him some time to plot and execute it? Critic G.B. Harrison stands by this assumption and says “In the play which Shakespeare wrote, there was no delay”. But there are other critics finding the answer to the delayed revenge in the main character himself.
But for sure there is some sort of delay all through the play, a delay that somehow is based on the behavior of the main character, Prince Hamlet. If there was no delay, Hamlet would have acted in a whole different way. As soon as he was told that his father had been killed by his uncle, he would have taken out his sword and simply killed the new king of Denmark. There would not have been much delay and self-doubt then.
Hamlet’s act of revenge is fulfilled a couple hundred pages and thousands of lines later. The question comes to mind: Why did Hamlet delay so long in taking his revenge for his father’s murder?
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Different phases of Hamlet’s actions
3. Insecurity
4. Does Delay equal Morality
5. Action and misdirection
6. Proving who’s guilty
7. Conclusion
Research Objectives and Themes
The primary objective of this academic paper is to analyze the underlying psychological and circumstantial reasons for Prince Hamlet's procrastination in seeking revenge for his father's murder in William Shakespeare's tragedy. It explores whether the delay is an inherent character flaw, a moral dilemma, or a result of external factors, specifically contrasting Hamlet's inaction with the impulsive behavior of Laertes.
- The characterization of Hamlet as a thinker versus an actor.
- The impact of existential insecurity and self-doubt on decision-making.
- The role of moral and religious scruples in delaying the act of vengeance.
- The influence of external circumstances and misdirection on the plot progression.
- The function of the 'mousetrap' scene and its limitations as proof of guilt.
Excerpt from the Book
Different phases of Hamlet’s actions
Why does Hamlet not take any action on his own? In the cause of the play Hamlet is for the most part thinking about what to do and whether he knows the truth about everything that has happened. This takes up a great amount of time, where the revenge tragedy, becomes far more a “not-revenge-just-yet” play.5
What phases of delay or far more justifications for not taking action, can be found in Shakespeare's play? - The play can be divided in several phases according to the delay of Hamlet's actions. The first phase is merely the time Hamlet only knows that his father is dead and that his mother surprisingly remarried his uncle, Claudius. Hamlet has just returned home from his studies and knows that something is “rotten in the state of Denmark” like Marcellus, a side-character says.6 In this first phase Hamlet is not able to take any action, because he simply does not know that anything is wrong for sure. Speaking of a delay in this phase of the play is not plausible, because there is nothing Hamlet or another character can be delaying.
Summary of Chapters
Introduction: This chapter introduces the core debate regarding Hamlet's delay, contrasting different critical perspectives and setting the scene for the tragedy.
Different phases of Hamlet’s actions: This section categorizes the events of the play into distinct phases to determine at which point a genuine delay occurs versus a mere lack of information.
Insecurity: This chapter examines Hamlet's internal conflict and his inherent nature as a thinker, which prevents him from translating thought into decisive action.
Does Delay equal Morality: This section investigates the possibility that Hamlet's hesitation is rooted in moral and religious scruples rather than simple cowardice.
Action and misdirection: This chapter discusses how accidental events, such as the killing of Polonius, further complicate the revenge plot and shift the narrative focus.
Proving who’s guilty: This chapter analyzes the effectiveness of the 'mousetrap' scene as a mechanism for gathering proof and Hamlet's reaction to it.
Conclusion: This final chapter synthesizes the findings, asserting that Hamlet’s complex personality is the primary driver of the tragedy’s delay.
Keywords
Hamlet, William Shakespeare, revenge, tragedy, delay, insecurity, Claudius, Laertes, Polonius, morality, mousetrap, self-doubt, psychology, action, hesitation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this academic paper?
The paper focuses on analyzing why Prince Hamlet delays his promised revenge for his father’s murder throughout William Shakespeare's play.
What are the central themes discussed in the work?
The central themes include the nature of delay, internal psychological insecurity, moral and religious dilemmas, and the contrast between thoughtful deliberation and impulsive action.
What is the core research question?
The research seeks to answer why Hamlet postpones his vengeance and whether this delay stems from a character flaw, an existential crisis, or external circumstances.
Which scientific methodology is applied here?
The paper utilizes a literary analysis approach, drawing upon text-based evidence from the play and incorporating various critical perspectives from scholars like Goethe, Coleridge, and G.B. Harrison.
What is covered in the main body of the text?
The main body breaks down the play into specific phases of action, discusses Hamlet's insecurity, explores the moral implications of his delay, and examines the role of secondary characters like Laertes and Claudius.
Which keywords define this work?
Key terms include Hamlet, revenge, delay, tragedy, Shakespeare, insecurity, moral dilemma, and the mousetrap scene.
Why does the author suggest that Laertes is a crucial foil to Hamlet?
Laertes serves as a contradiction to Hamlet; while both share similar motifs of vengeance, Laertes acts immediately and decisively, highlighting Hamlet's tendency toward reflection rather than action.
How does the author characterize the role of the 'mousetrap' scene?
The 'mousetrap' scene is analyzed as a pivotal moment where Hamlet attempts to verify the King's guilt, though the author questions its sufficiency as absolute proof for the protagonist.
- Citation du texte
- Niklas Bastian (Auteur), 2009, Why did Hamlet delay his revenge? An analysis of Shakespeare's play, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/338818
