Prince hamlet

I have chosen how to discuss how Prince Hamlet feels increasing isolation from the community in William Shakspeare’s play ” Hamlet” and how this affects my attitude towards him. Hamlet is often described by the cliched term, ” the tragedy of a man who could not make up his mind”. Despite being hackneyed it is a very good description of the play. It is a main reason of Hamlet feeling increasing isolation. He drags out his revenge after saying he will do it quickly.

“….. sweep to my revenge”

This quote suggests swiftness but in fact he falters over it, it stays on his mind all the time leaving no time for the other people in his life and therefore making him feel isolated from the community. This did not particularly change my attitude as I feel that I would have done the same thing had I been in Hamlet’s predicament.

It also becomes increasingly obvious throughout the play that Hamlet is losing everyone that is close to him in the World. Obviously when the play starts he has already lost his father, his mother marries his fathers brother and Hamlet then feels like he is no longer close to his mother as she has let him down with this incestuous marriage. The fact that she has let him down is illustrated by the following quote.

” Frailty, thy name is woman”

He also feels he cannot relate to his new ” father” either. He strikes huge contrasts between the old King Hamlet and his mother’s new husband, King Claudius.

” Hyperion to a satyr”

” No more like my father than I to Hercules”

The woman he loves, Ophelia, is then warned away from him by her brother Laertes. Ophelia, being the symbol of purity and femininity in the play heeds her brothers warning. We can see the pattern of Hamlet losing all the people that matter to him. This is obviously going to make him feel hugely isolated. He will have no one to talk with, no one to go to for help with his problem so he is just going to feel more and more isolated and the matter of revenge will just press on his mind more and more.

The fact that he could not make up his mind while feeling so isolated with no one to talk to is amplified in act 3 scene 3 (the Prayer Scene) King Hamlets ghost has already told Hamlet to avenge his ” foul and most unnatural murder”. Hamlet has a perfect chance when Claudius is on his knees praying. Hamlet doesn’t take this chance as he couldn’t make up his mind. At this point I am starting to pity Hamlet as he has no one now that he can trust properly and he will be feeling hugely alone and isolated.

Another reason that Hamlet felt isolated was because he was feigning madness.

” To put an antic disposition on-“

This means he can never have a sane conversation with anyone or else the illusion will be broken. Not being able to talk to anyone in a normal manner would make anyone feel incredibly isolated. I also feel that after having to act insane all the time caused Hamlet to almost to convince himself that he was mad. I think his isolation is summed up in the third soliloquy when I believe that he was contemplating suicide.

” To be, or not to be, that is the question;”

Should he have life or not have life, kill himself. He is now feeling so isolated and alone with a huge weight on his mind that he is thinking of taking his own life.

” To die, to sleep-No more”

Suicide will end all the troubles for now but he does not know what will await him after death. Now you really have to feel for Hamlet. His life has fallen apart completely, he has no one and now he feels suicidal. I have deep sympathy for him after all he has had to go through.

Overall I can understand why Hamlet felt isolated from the community as he really did have no one left in the world and throughout the play I felt more and more sympathy from him.