Short Review about Hamlet

Hamlet, Prince of Denmark by William Shakespeare is one the most acclaimed and widely read pieces of literature in the history of Western civilization. No other Shakespearean character has commanded the same level of fascination, scrutiny, and sheer volume of literary criticism. This effect comes primarily from the complexity and uncertainty of the character. No definite conclusions about Hamlet can be reached is he a hero or coward, sinner or saint? The play allows the audience to see itself in Hamlet, making ever so easy to relate.

Using Joseph Campbell’s characteristics of the archetypal hero I will show how Hamlet does and does not fit the guidelines that Campbell has set. The characteristics that Campbell gives use are: unusual circumstances of birth or born into royalty, the hero leaves his family or land and lives with others, an adventure or quest will ensue, special weapon, supernatural help, prove himself many times, journey and unhealable wound, experience atonement with the father and finally when the hero dies he is rewarded spiritually. Hamlet most certainly fits the first characteristic of the Archetypal hero.Although his birth is not of unusual circumstance he was born of royalty. Hamlet is the prince of Denmark making him a perfect fit for this characteristic.

The second characteristic is that Hamlet would have to leave his family and live with others. I feel that one can argue this point, while Hamlet does not always live with his family because he is a student; Claudius does make Hamlet embark on a journey to England issuing a command which is meant to end Hamlet’s life. One could argue that he was sent away but other events allowed Hamlet to end up back in Denmark.As Campbell states in his theory the hero must leave, he also states that heroes always return to their land.

One can conclude that Hamlet partial fits the characteristic; he leaves and comes back but never lives with others. Campbell also points out that an event takes place that begins an adventure or quest for the hero. The event that takes place that sparks Hamlet’s quest is his father’s untimely death and is mothers’ quick marriage to his uncle. Hamlet is deeply upsets about his mother hasty marriage “Things rank and gross in nature possess it merely. That it should come to this!But two months dead-nay not so much, not two. So excellent the king that was to this Hyperion to a satyr, so loving to my mother that he might not between the winds of heaven” (Shakespeare 1.

2. 1364). His father comes to him as a ghost and explained to Hamlet what lead to his tragic demise. Hamlets Quest is to clearly avenge his father’s death.

Even at this point in the play we see Hamlet start to show uncertainty when he complains” O cursed spite that ever I was born to set it right” (Shakespeare 1. V. 1380). This encounter brings in another of Campbell’s characteristics, a supernatural encounter.

Hamlet does not need incredible strength to fight creatures or anything of the sort, he must simply overcome his own indecisiveness, his self-doubt, and the actions of those around him in order to achieve his quest, a power which he does possess. It can be said that his high intelligence, dominance and persuasion gives him power over others, also leads him to excessive questioning and pondering; this is also his tragic flaw. Every time Hamlet gets ahead of others and finds an opportunity to act, his mind interferes demanding complete victory, as when Hamlet refuses to kill Claudius after the play.The next characteristic is one that I believe Hamlet fails to meet, having to prove himself many times. “A hero just can't claim he's a hero and assume his position” (Davis).

The only thing that I feel Hamlet proves over and over again is his indecisiveness. After first hearing of the crime from his father's ghost, Hamlet immediately sets out to take action. Hamlet then began to think that perhaps his father's ghost was conjured by the devil in an attempt to make him become irrational. “Hamlet countered Claudius with his own test, the play of The Mouse trap.This also serves no direct practical purpose.

Hamlet has no reason to doubt the ghost's veracity: his rationale is unconvincing, rather like an afterthought, serving merely to give the impression that there is some logical reason” (Birenbaum 22). This proves to be a battle between good and evil for Hamlet. Hamlet's indecisive pursuit in avenging his father's death is shown as evidence of his tragic flaw. Hamlet encounters numerous opportunities to kill Claudius, yet he always comes up with some excuse preventing the action.Another one of Campbell’s guidelines is that the hero suffers an unhealable wound, sometimes an emotional or spiritual wound from which the hero never completely recovers.

Hamlet sees a play and the passion one particular actor had. Hamlet, besieged by guilt and self-contempt, remarks in his second soliloquy the emotion this player showed despite the fact that the player had nothing to be emotional about. Hamlet observed that he himself had all the reason in the world to react with great emotion and sorrow, yet he failed to show any that could compare with the act of the player.Hamlet states “Yet I a dull and muddy mettled rascal, peak Like John a dreams, unpregnant of my cause, and can say nothing-no, not for a king” (Shakespeare 2. 2.

1397) Hamlet's flaw of irresolution essentially destroyed him. Hamlet directly identifies his own tragic flaw, remarking of his own inability to act. I believe this is Hamlet unhealing wound that will be one of the causes of his and his loved ones untimely death that could possibly have been avoided. Hamlet directly identifies his own tragic flaw, remarking of his own inability to act.All tragic heroes experience themselves as passion's slaves.

Perhaps what is "intellectual" about Hamlet is that he is aware that he does so” (Birenbaum 27) Hamlet does finally atone his father. “Atonement means to offer payment for a wrong doing. Very often, heroes must avenge a father or make up for the father's evil” (Davis). In Hamlets situation I feel he does both.

Not only does he avenge his father’s death but let us remember Claudius is now Hamlets father too. Hamlet is ultimately avenging one father and making up for the evil of the other.The last characteristic is “after the hero's journeys are over, the hero is rewarded spiritually in some way. Normally, the hero achieves a life in bliss” (Davis). One can speculate if Hamlet died and went to heaven after all “Having killed Ophelia psychologically and Polonius accidentally, Hamlet kills Rosencrantz and Guildenstern deliberately and by cunning, rebounding from his own closest brush with death, alone on the high seas. He also "kills" Gertrude emotionally in the closet scene, when he discloses the truth about her two husbands” (Birenbaum 23).

Hamlet knows that his fate is to die , knowing this he may have repented his sins in order to insure a blissful after life in heaven but one can only speculate. After reviewing Hamlet in detail I do believe that Hamlet was a hero, although he might not fit Campbell’s mold exactly . Hamlet has doubt, grief and he is far from perfect but he tries to protect his faith in a world of high values and morality. He longs for truth and reason so much so that he is blinded by what he wants to and has a hard time seeing the truth.These traits make Hamlet real to the reader and audience making him to some more of a relatable hero. It is evident at the end when Fortinbras says “Bear Hamlet, like a solider, to the stage, for he was likely,had he been put on, to be proven most royal; and for his passage, the soldiers’ music and the rite of war.

Speak loudly for him” (Shakespeare 5. 2. 1464). This shows the respect that another equal has for him. The debate over Hamlet will rage on forever, that is the beauty of this play. It’s amazing to me that a play from the 1600 is still causing so much debate.

Well done William Shakespeare, well done.