Introduction
The variety of well-known images that Shakespeare presents in Hamlet reflects the genius of the playwright and the demand for his play in the modern world. Many of the quotes still apply to this day, and some of the scenes have become iconic. One of the images that deserve attention as an essential part of the plot is the fight between Hamlet and Laertes during Ophelia’s funeral. In an attempt to achieve retribution and seeking to punish the enemy for his falsehood, Hamlet grapples with him, saying the following: “Why I will fight with him upon this theme / Until my eyelids will no longer wag” (Shakespeare 5.1.416-417).
The grief and anguish of the prince are clearly reflected in his furious speech, which he utters under the impression of all the hardships and concerns experienced. The outburst of emotions of relatively restrained and calm Hamlet is a consequence of his involvement in palace intrigues. The considered image of despair and longing reflects the prince’s irrepressible grief and his rebelliousness to external circumstances, inciting him to give up and forget about revenge as what prompted him to live and fight.
Broader Scene Context
The death of Ophelia has become a serious blow for Hamlet, exhausted by the continuous struggle for life and striving at all costs to take revenge on the king for the murder of his own father. The behavior of Laertes, throwing himself into his sister’s grave and demonstrating false grief and suffering, angers the prince even more. When the king’s son calls out, “Deprived thee of!” Hold off the earth awhile,” Hamlet cannot contain his rage, knowing that palace intrigues have caused Ophelia’s death (Shakespeare 5.1.378). Realizing the bitterness of loss and the senselessness of the girl’s death, the prince understands that he will have to overcome all further difficulties alone to justify the honor of his father. The funeral of Ophelia has become a trigger for Hamlet’s aggression, and in a fit of anger, he is ready to abandon his original plan to punish Laertes for his cunning and deceit. As a result, this scene is one of the key ones in the play in terms of its tension and thematic significance.
Aggression as a Means of Internal Relief
Entering into open conflict with Laertes for the first time, Hamlet is not aware of the possible consequences. The only thing he wants to achieve is to punish the enemy for his falseness and partial guilt in the death of Ophelia, with whom the prince had romantic feelings. He admits this to all those present at the funeral: “I loved Ophelia: forty thousand brothers / Could not, with all their quantity of love, / Make up my sum. What wilt thou do for her?” (Shakespeare 5.1.421-423). Laertes, in turn, is not inclined to reason or reflect, and Hamlet understands this. This factor is one of the causes why the prince cannot restrain his aggression and rushes at the son of the king.
For Hamlet, this skirmish can be considered temporary relaxation and relief. He is exhausted, which makes him vulnerable, and the excessive emotionality that he demonstrates is a psychological help for him. The image of an aggressive Hamlet is not typical for the character; therefore, this scene is of great importance in the context of the entire play. Sorrow after the tragedy cannot leave him indifferent. Thus, it is possible that it is at the funeral that he makes the final decision at all costs to take revenge on the new king and his close associates for the death of his own father. At this point, he gives up all efforts to remain cool: “Be buried quick with her, and so will I” (Shakespeare 5.1.434).
Having no internal strength and motives to continue the secret war, he intends to reveal all the cards and finish what he started earlier, no matter with the help of Horatio or without him. As a result, aggression toward Laertes is, for Hamlet, a deliverance from the burden of silence that has fettered him from the moment he learned about the murder of his own father.
Inevitability of an Open Confrontation
The skirmish between the opponents in the cemetery is the final evidence of an open confrontation that could not have been avoided. After the first fight with Laertes, the prince addresses his friend Horatio: “Sir, in my heart there was a kind of fighting, / That would not let me sleep” (Shakespeare 5.2.478). Realizing that there is no way back and the duel is inevitable, Hamlet feels freer. He is not afraid of possible death because revenge is the strongest feeling that drives him. In any case, with the intention of punishing his enemies, the prince is bound to come into open conflict sooner or later.
The scene in the cemetery and the image of the aggressive Hamlet lead the reader to the climax of the play when there is little time left before the duel. This context of the plot allows for saying that, despite external circumstances, any misunderstanding must be resolved first or last, regardless of the outcome. Otherwise, the accumulated anger and resentment can become dangerous incentives that may lead to sad consequences for both the offended person and others, as the example of Hamlet shows.
The awareness of a possible death in the upcoming duel does not stop Hamlet, which indicates that his thirst for revenge and justice is higher than his own life. In his address to Horatio, he expresses this clearly: “No, not to stay the grinding of the axe, / My head should be struck off” (Shakespeare 5.2.500-501). The will to fight, in this case, is heightened by grief over Ophelia’s death. Such behavior makes it possible to reveal the psychological portrait of Hamlet more broadly and describe him as a person who puts life values as a priority. Not many people are able to refuse the available benefits in the name of sincere and higher goals. Contrary to the opinion of the majority, the prince is not ready to put up with palace intrigues, which are barriers to his path to revenge. As a result, when evaluating the image of the aggressive Hamlet, the reader can understand how the spiritual interests of the prince prevail over his actions.
Conclusion
The unwillingness to accept external circumstances prompting Hamlet to refuse revenge for the murder of his father is the main reason explaining the context of the scene of an open confrontation between the prince and Laertes. Not wanting to compromise spiritual principles and higher goals, Hamlet is ready to go to the end. For him, this conflict is similar to relief after a long period of anxiety and grief after his father’s and Ofelia’s deaths. The willingness to give life speaks of the prince’s strong personality, and the image of the aggressive Hamlet has a special thematic significance in the play.
Work Cited
Shakespeare, William. Hamlet. Cambridge University Press, 2009.