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  • Essay / The role of doubts and questions in the construction of Hamlet's character

    The many doubts of Hamlet CS Lewis once said that “the world of Hamlet is a world in which we have lost our way”. This statement contains many truths because the play begins at midnight, which depicts a world where man is essentially lost and filled with doubts. According to Lewis, doubt, fear, and loneliness are the feelings that Hamlet's world makes us reflect on. These feelings are best expressed by none other than Hamlet, who is an emotional human being who feels guilt, remorse, and a sense of responsibility to take revenge for Claudius' murder of his father. Much of the information we know about Hamlet comes from his soliloquies. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an Original Essay A soliloquy is a device often used in drama by which one character reveals his or her thoughts and feelings to the audience, but not to another. characters in the play. This often creates dramatic irony as the audience gains insight into a character's thoughts and intentions, all of which is hidden from others. Hamlet's soliloquies stand out as fundamental pillars of the play itself. Towards the end of the first act, Hamlet encounters the supposed ghost of his newly deceased father. It is in Hamlet's second soliloquy that it is revealed to the audience that he has a number of doubts, including one regarding the identity of this spirit. Adhering to his Christian faith, he must determine whether the ghost was sent by the devil or by the spirit of his father returning from purgatory. “…The spirit that I saw / Perhaps a devil…” (2. 2. 529-530). How the ghost tells Hamlet to avenge his death is questionable; it makes it seem like an easy task to do. Without comforting him and understanding the difficulty of such a task, the ghost could wrongly pass for an evil spirit. This monologue also indicates that Hamlet doubts whether taking revenge on his uncle is the right course of action. Hamlet is well aware that murder is considered a sin in Christianity, which is a key factor in delaying Claudius' execution. So he stages a play in the hope that guilt will prompt the king to confess his terrible deed. The play is a success and Claudius reveals his guilt, even though Hamlet still has doubts about his mother. Gertrude marries so quickly after her husband's death that Hamlet jokes that "the meats cooked for the funeral / coldly furnished the wedding tables." (1.2.180-181). One could easily assume that Gertrude knew of Claudius' plan or even participated in it. Her frightening doubts lead her to be sarcastic towards her mother and to develop a poor view of women, exclaiming "Fragility, thy name is woman!" » (1. 2. 146) during his first soliloquy. Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get a personalized article from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay Needless to say, Hamlet's doubt does more than call into question the ghost's motive and the innocence of Claudius and his mother. His refusal to complete the tasks assigned to him indicates that he does not understand what he is fighting for. Hamlet's father knew why he was fighting Fortinbras senior; to acquire the Fortinbras land. Claudius knew why he had murdered Hamlet's father; to become the new king of Denmark and win Gertrude's heart. However, Hamlet does not know why he should kill Claudius and what good will come from this act. He sees the bigger picture, which reflects his intelligence and morality. Hamlet's doubts make us think and question ourselves..