Skip to main content

Dr. Faustus suffers because of his sins. Why does Hamlet suffer? What are his sins?

Hamlet suffers both as a result of his own flaw and as a result of other people's sins. When the play begins, he is miserably unhappy because of the sudden death of his father as well as the hasty remarriage of his mother, Gertrude, to his father's brother and Hamlet's own uncle, Claudius. Then, he learns from his dead father's ghost that it was actually Claudius, the new king and Hamlet's new step-father, who murdered...

Hamlet suffers both as a result of his own flaw and as a result of other people's sins. When the play begins, he is miserably unhappy because of the sudden death of his father as well as the hasty remarriage of his mother, Gertrude, to his father's brother and Hamlet's own uncle, Claudius. Then, he learns from his dead father's ghost that it was actually Claudius, the new king and Hamlet's new step-father, who murdered him. All of these circumstances relate to other people's sinful behavior, and they make him quite miserable.


However, Hamlet's unhappiness is extended by the fact that he is so reticent to avenge his father's death, as he's been charged to do by the ghost; this isn't really a sin, but his inability to act is a flaw. He spends almost the entirety of the play wondering how he could be so cowardly, but then he continues to do very little to actually exact his revenge. Even once he becomes convinced that Claudius really did kill his father, Hamlet stalls and does nothing of import until the final scene (when, really, he has to because he's about to die, himself). His inability to act decisively is his major flaw, and it makes him very unhappy too.

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