Shakespeare’s Hamlet is one play that never fails to elicit various responses from readers. This is so because Hamlet, the play, is a bunch of contradictions. And because the main characters are as human as we are, prone to excesses and wrongdoing, it was easy to relate to them. In the end though, their misdeeds proved to be their undoing.
Hamlet is also close to our hearts because it speaks of some truths which are applicable even to this day. Hamlet’s “to be or not to be, that is the question” is probably the most used quoted line in the play. It sums up man’s innate desire for self-transcendence.
The story, at first glance, revolves around the theme of vengeance and tyranny. But upon closer inspection you will know that guilt is as much present in the story as the two. The guilt theme of Hamlet may require the reader to read between the lines. To look beyond the obvious. It takes a discerning eye to know that there is more to the characters than what they purport to be. In Hamlet, beauty is “not” skin-deep. Each of the main characters in the story gets acquainted with the feeling of guilt to some extent.
Hamlet is the lead character of the play which is named after him. One article printed in eNotes (2000) said that “the character of Hamlet dominates Shakespeare’s tragedy of the same name, yet Hamlet at the start of the play is not a commanding figure.” This may not sound like a befitting description to the lead character of the play but we do find Hamlet a confused person at the start. Even when his father’s ghost manifested to reveal how Claudius poisoned him, Hamlet chose to act passively about the whole thing. Gradesaver (1999) agreed to this when it wrote “Hamlet becomes obsessed with proving his uncle’s guilt before trying to act.” His most tangible step taken was to pretend to be a madman. We can see a cautious young man who is reluctant to get into trouble.
But as the story unfolds, we get a glimpse of another side of Hamlet’s character. He can be an impulsive, irrational man too. And this is obvious when he struck someone behind the curtain without even taking the time to know who the person is. It turns out to be Polonius, the father of his intended, Ophelia. Due to his impulsiveness, Hamlet killed an innocent man. He may act like a madman but Hamlet is not mad enough to understand the full impact of his actions. He takes someone else’s life. And for that, it is safe to assume that Hamlet feels guilt for his misdeed.
Claudius is perhaps the most guilt-laden person in the story of Hamlet. He poisoned his own brother so he can wrestle the throne. To seal his victory, he married his brother’s wife Gertrude to win the throne from young Hamlet (SparkNotes, 2005). His actions speak of treason in every way. And it would take a stone not to feel guilty at the misdeeds. His guilt feelings were particularly apparent during Act Two Scene Three of the play where Hamlet instructed the actors to dramatize the death of his father through poison. Claudius exploded in rage upon seeing the play. So much so that he confesses his crime in prayer while alone in his chamber. This confirmed Hamlet’s suspicion and the Ghost’s claim that Claudius was behind Old Hamlet’s death.
Gertrude is another major character of the play. She is Hamlet’s mother and wife of King Hamlet. When King Hamlet died, she married Claudius barely two months after which earned her the ire of her only son. So much so that young Hamlet said in jest, “Frailty, thy name is woman!” (I.ii.146). Gertrude’s guilt stems from the fact that she knows she married too soon. And because of that, she made Hamlet mad at her. Later on, Hamlet tells her that it is Claudius who has killed King Hamlet. This makes Gertrude feel overwhelmed with grief.
Ophelia is one unfortunate gentle soul. She is the type to obey figures of authority to the point of sacrificing her own inner desires. Ophelia was told by his father and brother to refrain from seeing Hamlet after they learned that Hamlet was romantically pursuing her. Ever obedient, she did as she was told.
Ophelia must have been devastated upon learning that Hamlet turned mad. She could have nurtured some inner guilt on the plight of the young man after she rebuffed his display of affection to her. This and the death of her father make her insane in the latter part of the story which leads to her death.
Guilt must have haunted Polonius when he forbade Ophelia to see Hamlet again and he thinks that is the reason Hamlet turns mad. Polonius’ guilt is apparent when he becomes upset when he hears Ophelia say that Hamlet is not in his usual self. Polonius concludes that her refusal to see Hamlet anymore has driven the young prince mad (Gradesaver, 1999).
Laertes is Ophelia’s brother and Polonius’ son. He went back to Denmark upon knowing of his father’s death. He wanted to avenge his father and summoned Hamlet to a duel. With the aid of Claudius, he devised a plan to make Hamlet’s death a certainty by adding poison at the tip of the rapier (Gradesaver, 1999). To some extent, a learned man like Laertes would have found this deed a source of guilt. But whatever guilt he is feeling could have been drowned by his thirst for revenge.
The knowledge that Laertes left his father and sister to pursue his studies in France and allow them to fend for themselves could have made him feel guilty that he was not there to look after them and prevent his father’s death. His advice to Ophelia to stay away from Hamlet which could have contributed to Ophelia’s insanity and later on caused his beloved sister’s death could have aroused some guilt feelings in him too. It was his grief compounded by guilt of leaving his family that made him leaped into Ophelia’s coffin once it has been put in the grave.
Horatio is Hamlet’s closest friend. According to eNotes (2000), he is “a former fellow-student at Wittenberg. Horatio has come to Elsinore from Wittenberg for the funeral of old King Hamlet. He is described by Marcellus as a “scholar” (I.i.42).
Horatio earned Hamlet’s trust. He was constantly by his friend’s side even in his death. The guilt of seeing Hamlet holding on to dear life and there was nothing he could do to save him could have prompted Horatio to attempt to commit suicide. But the dying Hamlet prevented him to do so. Instead, requested Horatio to write down what has transpired and let the rest of the country know the truth.
The strength of Hamlet is in its ability to portray dark and deep human feelings. Guilt is not exactly its central theme but is a by-product of the main characters’ actions. And the feelings of guilt lend human emotions to the character and stripped some degrees of cruelty in them.
No comments:
Post a Comment