The tragedy of Hamlet Study

In the play, Shakespeare highlights various issues regarding corruption, ethics, politics and the psychological predicaments of human’s beings. The plot and events in this play are based on social life, political life, morality, metaphysical poetry, religious denomination and character of the personalities.  Hamlet, being the protagonist of the play stands as the best character in the play. Moreover, his role is arguably rich in terms of content, themes, and characteristics. The play has many other characters, including Claudius, Gertrude and hamlet’s two close friends; Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. Worst still, Claudius went ahead and declared himself king, on basis of marrying the queen. He does so oblivious that hamlet was mature and as the son of the king, he should have been the direct heir.

Finding all those controversies at home, Hamlet suspects foul play in the death of his father. Hamlet’s suspicions are confirmed when his father’s ghost visits the castle. The ghost complains that he could not rest in peace since his death was not natural, he was poisoned by Claudius. The first death was the death of Polonius and old man who hamlet stabs as he spies on him and Gertrude, in the very private chamber of the queen. Claudius seizes this opportunity as an excuse to punish hamlet by exiling him to England. He instructs hamlet’s school friends; Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to deliver him to the English king for execution. Claudius had recently hired the two friends to spy on Hamlet.

Luckily, Hamlet discovers these plans and sensing betrayal from his friends, contradicts the plot and arranges for the hanging of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern instead. Finally enraged with anger, Hamlet drives the poisoned sword into the king and pours the remaining poison down his throat. Before, he dies; hamlet leaves instructions that the throne should be inherited by prince Fortinbras of Norway, and entrusts his only loyal friend Horatio to truthfully explain to everybody the events that had caused the bloodbath at Elsinore. With his last breath, he whispers, ‘’the rest is silence’’. The play ends as prince Fortinbras, as the new king of Denmark commissions for a full military honors funeral for the dead prince, Hamlet. Character analysis Hamlet Hamlet, the protagonist of the play takes is the prince of Denmark.

Despite her sincerity in her love for Hamlet, Gertrude ends up as one of the villains of the play, due to her shallow mildness. She is a weak woman who values status and affection more than morality and truth. Ophelia Ophelia, despite exiting the play earlier remains to be one of the major characters in the play. She is a young woman who is genuinely in love with Hamlet. She is a sweet and innocent girl who is obedient to her father and brother. He is passionate, living and quick to act. In his aggressiveness, he displays some traits of shrewdness, when he conspired with Claudius to murder Hamlet. Fortinbras The young Norwegian prince, whose father had been king and had been killed by Hamlet's father ends up as the king of Denmark.

He is lucky and aggressive, he was planning on a mission to avenge his father’s death before Hamlet met his demise. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern The two former friends of hamlet prove to be bumbling courtiers. ” The statement affirms his firm stand and understanding that they no longer have his interest at their hearts; hence, acknowledging that they would not hesitate to betray him again, given a chance Guildenstern and Rosencrantz commit another act of betrayal when they are sent with a letter to England, by Claudius. Despite being aware of the content of the letter, an instruction to kill Hamlet as soon as he arrives in England, they opt not to tell him and lead him to his grave. Tables, however, turn when hamlet discovers this and instead, organizes for their death.

Betrayal can also be witnessed when Gertrude, the queen conspires to kill her husband in order to marry Claudius, his brother. She betrays her son also when she agrees to marry Claudius, knowing very well that it would compromise his inheritance rights (Mantiri, et al. This statement is quoted directly from Hamlet, the first indication that Hamlet is a slave to passion. In saying these words, Hamlet himself admits that he is a slave to his passion, probably the passion of revenging for his father’s death. Hamlet further argues that everybody in the world is a slave to passion. People dedicate all their lives to their dreams and passions. This confirms that hamlet had subscribed to this opinion and was a slave to his desires himself.

Role of women in Hamlet Gertrude, hamlets mother and Ophelia, his lover are the two main female characters in the play. Their roles are quite different, and their characters are also very different, though similar in some attributes. These two women are also very important in the plot of the play, their roles are mandatory for the play to deliver its message. Women in Hamlet are betrayers. The betrayal of women in the plot begins with Gertrude, hamlets mother when she conspires to kill her husband and marry his brother. Ophelia on the other side was generally defenseless and naïve. In her whole life, she had become accustomed to being told what to do by the men in her life.