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A Hamlet paper from a senior C1 class. Is this worthy of a B? Does this meet our expectations for literary analysis? Use Diigo to add to the margin comments.

Is Hamlet Admirable?

Hamlet has been put in a very difficult situation. His uncle has murdered his father, his mother is sleeping with his father’s murderer, and his father’s ghost expects him to avenge his death. Clearly no one would want to be put in this situation, and so Hamlet deserves our sympathy. To admire him, however, may be a little too much. Instead of showing forgiveness, Hamlet is so obsessed with revenge. Not once in the play does he consider that his uncle regrets his actions. Instead of being diplomatic, Hamlet only uses violence. Hamlet could expose the king, have him exiled, or any other non-violent revenge that didn’t include more killing. Hamlet does not show respectable qualities in seeking revenge or murder, only animalistic ones, and so he does not deserve admiration, only sympathy.

It would be hard to think of worse circumstances. Your father has been murdered and no one but you knows. The murderer, who is sleeping with your mother and who has taken the throne from you, turns out to be your uncle. No one is on your side and your dead father wants you to kill the king. If anyone deserves sympathy it is Hamlet. “The time is out of joint. O cursed spite that ever I was born to set it right!” (1-5-210) Hamlet is fully aware of his unfortunate situation and even shows himself some sympathy. A situation worthy of sympathy, however, is not always dealt with admirably. Hamlet no doubt has some difficult decisions to make and deserves sympathy, but the path he chooses is not admirable.

Hamlet could show forgiveness. He could consider that his father’s murderer regrets what he did and overcome his need for revenge. Instead he allows himself to be consumed by a much lesser desire, revenge. It should not be forgotten that before the events in this play, Hamlet was a prince. He had friends, duties, and a girl that he was interested in. This need for revenge makes him lose sight of everything else in his life. “And with a look so piteous in purport as if he had been loosed out of hell to speak horror- he comes before me.” (2-1-92) Hamlet is so consumer by his obsession that when he confront his love interest, Ophelia, he now appears to have been “loosed out of hell”. Hamlet turns his back on everyone in his life so he can seek revenge. To be more forgiving would be admirable, but being consumed by revenge is nothing to admire.

In seeking revenge, Hamlet could be diplomatic, or at least use non-violent means. Instead, he decides to murder his way to redemption. A more admirable decision would be to think more diplomatically. Instead of putting all his time into murdering his uncle, he could put some effort into exposing him. If he exposed the king for his crimes he would win the favor of his father’s followers and be able to overthrow Claudius. Though revenge is never respectable, revenge sought through non-violent means is more so than revenge sought through violence. “How all occasions do inform against me and spur my dull revenge. What is a man if his chief good and market in his time be but to sleep and feed?” (4-4-35) Hamlet has just seen the army of Fortinbras and envies his simplistic take on violence. Hamlet wants to be able to take violent action without thinking, as Fortinbras does. Hamlet is just as consumed with violence as he is with his need for revenge. Hamlet has been put in a terrible situation. Its understandable how someone could lose sight of right and wrong in Hamlets position. He is clearly worthy of sympathy, but does he also deserve admiration? Instead of being forgiving and level headed, Hamlet quickly becomes obsessed with revenge. Instead of being diplomatic about his revenge, Hamlet relies solely on violence and murder. Hamlet could have dealt with his piteous situation in a more respectable manner, but he succumbed to his animalistic temptations. His circumstance is deserving of sympathy, but his actions certainly are not deserving of admiration.