Skip to main content

How do both Hamlet and Don Quixote act as soldiers? What does that tell us about heroism?

Both Hamlet and Don Quixote are used to critique "heroism" that relies too heavily on violence.


Hamlet is pointedly a scholar, not a soldier, despite being the son of a king. When confronted with the warrior's honor code that insists he murder his uncle to avenge his father's death, Hamlet hesitates. While many have seen this as a character flaw of Hamlet's, critics such as Rene Girard in his essay "Hamlet's Dull Revenge" understand Shakespeare...

Both Hamlet and Don Quixote are used to critique "heroism" that relies too heavily on violence.


Hamlet is pointedly a scholar, not a soldier, despite being the son of a king. When confronted with the warrior's honor code that insists he murder his uncle to avenge his father's death, Hamlet hesitates. While many have seen this as a character flaw of Hamlet's, critics such as Rene Girard in his essay "Hamlet's Dull Revenge" understand Shakespeare to be critiquing an ethic that creates a continuous cycle of bloodshed and revenge.


Hamlet is a sympathetic character, deeply anguished about doing the right thing, to the point of contemplating suicide as a release from his dilemma, but he is no warrior. Thinking, not fighting, is his chief weapon, and he does nothing to prevent Fortinbras from invading his kingdom (arguably, this is his uncle's problem, but as stepson of the king, he might have been created with a more soldierly aspect). By casting this prince as contemplative rather than a warrior and having him raise questions about life and death, Shakespeare critiques unthinking violence and revenge. Laertes' more unreflective and bloodthirsty approach to vengeance, in contrast, is exploited by Claudius for his own purposes, and we are meant to mourn, not celebrate, the pile-up of dead bodies at the play's end. 


Likewise, Don Quixote functions as a critique of heroism. Don Quixote has gone "mad" (this early novel questions madness and sanity) from reading chivalric romances and believes he is a knight errant. He sallies forth to right wrongs, but instead causes nothing but trouble with his would-be heroism, and often, comic book style, ends up brutally beaten before springing back to life and moving onward. He intervenes with a farmer who is beating a worker, only causing a more violent beating and trouble for the worker after he leaves, and he tilts at windmills, thinking they are giants, only causing pain to himself. In fact, the phrase "tilting at windmills" has come to represent misplaced heroism or idealism, or a misapplied use of force for no good end.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

What is the meaning of "juggling fiends" in Macbeth?

Macbeth is beginning to realize that the three witches have been deceiving him since he first encountered them. Like jugglers, they have kept changing their forecasts in order create confusion. This is particularly apparent when the Second Apparition they raise in Act IV,   Scene 1 tells him that no man of woman born can overcome him in hand-to-hand battle--and then Macbeth finds himself confronted by the one man he has been avoiding out of a... Macbeth is beginning to realize that the three witches have been deceiving him since he first encountered them. Like jugglers, they have kept changing their forecasts in order create confusion. This is particularly apparent when the Second Apparition they raise in Act IV,   Scene 1 tells him that no man of woman born can overcome him in hand-to-hand battle--and then Macbeth finds himself confronted by the one man he has been avoiding out of a sense of guilt, and that man tells him: Despair thy charm. And let the angel whom thou still hast serve...
Post a Comment
Read more

In Martel's Life of Pi, how does writing a diary help Pi Patel build on his leadership skills?

At the end of chapter 73, Pi first divulges the fact that he had started a diary after about a week alone at sea. Pi claims that he wrote about "practical stuff" (208) such as what he caught for food, foreseeable problems and solutions, Richard Parker, and reflections about specific events that occurred. In a sense, Pi is the captain of his ship; therefore, he must take responsibility for himself and his crew. He can... At the end of chapter 73, Pi first divulges the fact that he had started a diary after about a week alone at sea. Pi claims that he wrote about "practical stuff" (208) such as what he caught for food, foreseeable problems and solutions, Richard Parker, and reflections about specific events that occurred. In a sense, Pi is the captain of his ship; therefore, he must take responsibility for himself and his crew. He can do this by writing down events, problems and solutions, and reflections to look back on when confronted with repeated problems. It can ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Why did Tybalt attack and kill Mercutio instead of Romeo, who he had originally been targeting?

Though Tybalt's quarrel is with Romeo, he begins the momentous duel in Act 3 by fighting with and killing Mercutio instead. Tybalt ultimately attacks Mercutio because the garrulous and hot-headed character insults Tybalt and goads him into a duel to protect Romeo's honor. From the beginning of the encounter in Act 3, Scene 1, it's clear that Mercutio is itching for a fight. For instance, when Tybalt signals that he wants to talk to Mercutio... Though Tybalt's quarrel is with Romeo, he begins the momentous duel in Act 3 by fighting with and killing Mercutio instead. Tybalt ultimately attacks Mercutio because the garrulous and hot-headed character insults Tybalt and goads him into a duel to protect Romeo's honor. From the beginning of the encounter in Act 3, Scene 1, it's clear that Mercutio is itching for a fight. For instance, when Tybalt signals that he wants to talk to Mercutio and Benvolio, Mercutio responds "And but one word with one of us?/ Couple it w...
Post a Comment
Read more