Introduction
Hamlet, a world-renowned literary classic by William Shakespeare, depicts an acute vision of a man struggling with his indecisiveness in the face of constant external pressure and inner unrest. The hero, the young prince of Denmark, undergoes severe changes throughout the play, overcoming his weaknesses and learning to exercise his agency. The themes of personal responsibility and decision-making in unpredictable and unfavorable conditions are particularly prominent in Hamlet’s character, revealing how a deeply stressed person can resolve inner conflicts. The hero’s eventual transformation shows the importance and possibility for personal improvement.
Discussion
The young prince’s inner torment is nowhere as vividly depicted as in his monologue in scene 1 of Act III. Contemplating the worth of life itself, looking for meaning in living in a world of suffering, and questioning the capacity of a person to take ultimate responsibility for one’s being – these existential questions haunt Hamlet when he asks himself, “To be, or not to be — that is the question.” (Shakespeare 3.1.58–62). Feeling out of place and constantly reminded of his lack of agency in the situation, Hamlet continuously looks for ways to put the responsibility for his actions on others in one way or another. This monologue represents Hamlet’s inability to make decisions at this stage of his personal evolution.
The prince’s head is riddled with unanswered questions and the slightly surreal setting he ends up in with little to no agency in his own home. Hamlet again falls into indecisiveness when faced with the father’s ghost command to kill the king, exclaiming, “O cursed spite, / That I ever was born to set it right.” (Shakespeare 1.5.195–196). Nevertheless, the young prince decides to carry the deed personally and swears Marcellus and Horatio to silence, indicating his resolve to discard his indecisiveness.
Hamlet’s agency evolves throughout the play, emerging in critical situations requiring making quick and serious decisions. As such, a decision to frame Rosencrantz and Guildenstern in a forged letter comes to him almost naturally as the only way to save one’s own life, as he says, “Being thus benetted round with villains, / Ere I could make a prologue to my brains, / They had begun the play. I sat me down, / Devised a new commission, wrote it fair.” (Shakespeare 5.2.29–32). This action foreshadows the changes the prince undergoes in the play’s finale, culminating in Claudius’ death. Avenging his dead father and finally acting without hesitation grants the young prince a long-awaited calmness and peace of mind, symbolically delivered by mutual forgiveness with dying Laertes. Only after this can he finally find his rest in death, free of the anxiety he had to live through.
Conclusion
William Shakespeare’s Hamlet presents an intimate and detailed exploration of a distraught mind, analyzing the nature of one’s motivations and will to act when confronted with extraordinary circumstances. Hamlet is presented throughout the play as a troubled young man struggling with coming to terms with himself and with those around him. His constant uncertainty makes him dependent on the commands and advices of those around him, including his friend Horatio and his father’s ghost. Only through overcoming his anxiety Hamlet is able to avoid grave dangers thanks to his cunning and whit. The titular hero has to go a long way in resolving inner conflicts and finding strength and courage to act self-motivated and directly. Facing the hardships of human life can break a weak character, as prince Hamlet shows throughout the play. Prolonged contemplations and the inability to exercise agency haunt Hamlet until the play’s last act, where he finally frees himself of the mental shackles of anxiety and indecisiveness. The young prince’s transformation as a character and person demonstrates not only the importance but the possibility of self-perfection.
Works Cited
Shakespeare, William. Hamlet, Prince of Denmark. Edited by Philip Edwards, Cambridge University Press, 2003.