HamletEssay

In the play Hamlet, by William Shakespeare, the author develops the idea that there is an interplay between fear and foresight when individuals make life altering choices by using the character Hamlet. By looking at this character, one can analyze their reactions to fear by what the character says, and how they act towards others.

          In act 1, scene 2, Hamlet is speaking to his friend Horatio, a scholar. Hamlet is speaking of his mother and how she has been incestuous with Hamlet’s uncle, the dead king’s father. “It is not, nor it cannot come to, good; But break, my heart, for I must hold my tongue!” Line 158. Hamlet is speaking of his anger towards Claudius and his mother for their adulterous acts, but he does not say anything about his plot for revenge to Horatio, because he is the only human who has seen his father’s ghost, an his plot for revenge is secretive. This shows the relationship between fear and foresight because Hamlet is procrastinating the murder of his uncle, furthermore showing his fear of doing the deed. It relates to foresight when hamlet indirectly announces his plan. Also, in lines 77-89, Hamlet speaks of cowardness and revenge. “Who would fardels bear, To grunt and sweat under a weary life, But that the dread of something after death...Thus conscience does make cowards of us all, An thus the native hue of resolution Is sicklied o'er with the pale cast of thought..” in this quotation, Hamlet explains that Fear of death makes us all cowards, and our natural boldness becomes weak with too much thinking. Actions that should be carried out at once get misdirected, and stop being actions at all. This plays into fear and foresight because hamlet admits to mankind as being afraid of death, and foresights more towards his murder of Claudius.

          When Characters are faced to make life changing choices, their true personality comes out. Some examples of the consequences of acting upon fear are Polonius’ death, Ophelia’s suicide, Rosencrantz’s and Guildenstern’s death. Polonius’ death could have been avoided, if Hamlet had been more careful. Hamlet’s madness is greatly demonstrated in this scene, due to the fact at his mockery of Polonius’s death. Hamlet tells Claudius that Polonius is “In heaven. Send hither to see. If your messenger find him not there, seek him i' th' other place yourself. But if indeed you find him not within this month, you shall nose him as you go up the stairs into the lobby” line 38. This has to do with foresight because it is showing us deeper into Hamlet’s madness, and also demonstrating that Hamlet has become cold hearted, and does not fear death or death’s consequences anymore.  Ophelia’s Suicide demonstrates that when fear takes over, our decision making can be easily persuaded by emotions. Ophelia was driven mad by her father’s death, and based upon her own life or death choice, Ophelia chose death, showing the audience that her fear of madness and power that had taken over Hamlet’s life took over hers too.  Rosencrantz’s and Guildenstern’s deaths could have been avoided, had they not chosen to take Claudius’ side. Hamlet had to make a choice to save his own life or sacrifice his friends, and on his path of revenge and rage he ultimately chose to give his friends the death penalty.

          In act 3, scene 4, Hamlet explains his cruelty through the quotation “I must be cruel, only to be kind.” Line 179.  This ties into life altering choices, because when it comes down to it, one must be able to make that choice and know exactly why they made it, Hamlet chose to be cruel to his mother when speaking with her about her adulterous behaviour with Claudius because he knew that if he had spoken softly to her, and not made her admit to her wrong, he would get no point across. Hamlet understands that he must tell his mother of her wrong doing, even though it causes her much pain. Hamlet fears that his mother will not see how she has been betraying him, and hurting him by being with Claudius. Also, Hamlet already has his plan to kill Claudius in place, and does not want to kill his own mother, so by detaching her from Claudius, he hopes to have her for himself.

          By examining Shakespeare’s Hamlet, one can determine the relationship built by Shakespeare about the connection between fear and foreshadowing, by looking at the main character of the play. Throughout this piece of literature, we are shown many examples of how an individual may make life altering choices, and how reacting to fear, or reacting to foresight may alter those changes for good or bad.