Shakespeare incorporated a profound understanding of human character and psychology into his most well know play, Hamlet. A great tragedy befalls onto Hamlet and he reacts, as most who have been dealt tragedy, with responsive emotion. These emotions reveal Hamlet’s very distinct human characteristics. As the play progresses these intense emotions manifest themselves within Hamlet and inevitably lead him through many transformations in thought. Shakespeare provides Hamlet with several soliloquies in order to reveal to the reader Hamlets inner thoughts and contemplations. From these soliloquies, readers are able to trace Hamlet’s transforming thoughts.
After learning that his father had been murdered by his brother and that soon after his own mother married this killer, Hamlet found himself disillusioned and appropriately depressed. Hamlet expresses his discontent for the world in a soliloquy in Act I scene II. “O, that this too, too sullied flesh would melt, thaw and resolve itself into a dew.” Hamlet is disgusted with the current circumstances. The world to him is an “unweeded garden- that grows to seed.” Things for Hamlet are bad and they only seem to get worse. Hamlet is brimming with bitter contempt for Claudius (the uncle-murderer) and his saddened by his mother’s marrying him. Not only did his mother marry Claudius, she did so with haste, with “wicked speed and dexterity.” Hamlet reveals that he is truly hurt but yet he must hold his tongue.
One would likely assume that these emotions would manifest into action. This is not so for Hamlet. Emotion and internal contemplation stall him and this idleness reveals to the reader Hamlet’s indecisiveness. Hamlet himself realizes his inability to act and through his soliloquy in Act II scene II, he announces his grief and mounting stress. After viewing an actor come literally to tears while acting out a scene, Hamlet looks within himself and provides the reader with a harsh self-evaluation. He refers to himself as a “rogue and peasant slave.” Rogue in emotion but enslaved by indecision. He notes that a player who has no real connection to his portrayal could, ” force his soul so to his own conceit.” How an actor can overwhelm himself with passion for a simple portrayal of a character but he himself cannot for a very personal event, is hard for Hamlet to conceive. Hamlet has not progressed in his revenge and questions himself of being a coward. Hamlet is on the verge of self-loathing. “What an ass I am,” he mutters. But within himself he contains hope for fulfilling his vengeance. He plans to catch the king during a play about a murdered king.
The play progresses and Hamlet is assured in his revenge by the king’s reaction to the play. However, by Act IV scene IV, Hamlet has yet to fulfill his vengeance. He is once again reminded of his inadequate amount of action. This time he is confronted by the captain of Norway’s army. This captain is leading a thousand men to fight a bloody battle for a piece of land that doesn’t matter simply because “Honor is at stake.” Hamlet, who has found himself unable to act on his revenge, is dismayed and further commits himself to action, “My thoughts be bloody or be nothing worth.”In essence, Hamlet undergoes a transformation in both thought and ability. At first, Hamlet is overwhelmed by depression and anger which only lead to idleness. He then understands that he must act and although belated, does carry out his revenge.
