FREE ESSAY ON HAMLET

HAMLET

When do you know a work of literature has stood the test of time? When William Shakespeare
wrote it. But why are his works so respected and cherished? One of his most famous works,
Hamlet, is still a favorite among actors and occasional readers, alike, but why? Why is
Shakespeare's work still able to challenge and inspire people, four hundred years after
it was written? The answer is simple. Shakespeare's work, though complicated, will never
have just one meaning, it will always be up to the interpretation of the people of the
time that is interpreting the drama. And with this reason, Shakespeare will always be
powerful and applicable to the day.
One of the first reasons why Hamlet will never lose importance is because of the
incestuous relationship between Hamlet's mother, Queen Gertrude, and uncle, King
Claudius. Even in Elizabethan times, Hamlet was disturbed by his mother's new love. In
scene II of the first act, Hamlet's disgust with his mother's incestuous relationship and
pain over his own father's death is no more clear then in the lines of his speech:
But two months dead: nay, not so much, not two: so excellent a king; that was, to this,
Hyperion to a satyr; so loving to my mother that he might not beteem the winds of heaven
visit her face too roughly. Heaven and earth! Must I remember? Why, she would hang on
him, as if increase of appetite had grown by what it fed on: and yet, within a month-let
me not think on't-frailty, thy name is woman! -a little month, or ere those shoes were
old with which she followed my poor father's body, like Niobe, all tear:--why she, even
she-o God! A beast, that wants discourse of reason, would have mourn'd longer-married
with my uncle, my father's brother, but no more like my father than I to Hercules: within
a month: ere yet the salt of most unrighteous tears had left the flushing in her galled
eyes, she married. O, most wicked speed, to post with such dexterity to incestuous sheet!
It is not nor it cannot come to good: but break, my heart; for I must hold my tongue.
(Act I, Scene II, line 138-158)
As shown by Hamlet's words, his feelings are very clear. He is ashamed of his mother's
bed hopping. However, what he's most hurt by is the fact that his mother was able to move
on so quickly. To him, it appeared as if one day she was living on his father's each and
every word, and then the next sleeping with his uncle. The unusual thing about this
situation though, was how accepting the people of Denmark were to their new king.
In today's society, there would be no difference in how the son of a mother might feel,
but definitely a distinct difference in how all other people would feel. Incestuous
relationships are taboo and not accepted as normal and healthy relationships. Not only
the son of the Queen of Denmark but the people as well would be much less accepting of
their Queen marrying her brother-in-law only two months after the death of her husband,
the King. There would be endless rumors and problems arising from such a relationship, so
the rest of the government would never allow Claudius to become King. But since this play
is staged four hundred years ago, such modern inconveniences, like the media, and
magazines, such as the Globe, would not have to be considered when love decisions were
made. Lucky for us today, we do have these inconveniences, even though many people think
they're useless and a waste of paper. If they existed four hundred years ago, Shakespeare
would never have been able to write such a play. The fact that incest will never go away
and always be an issue in whatever time Hamlet is read in, people will never grow tired
of the play and always argue about the incest element to the play.
Another reason why Hamlet will always be well read is the character Hamlet's
indecisiveness. No matter who is reading it, the reader will always have some type of
memory in which he or she was indecisive and because of his or her inability to make a
decision, a whole string of events occurred that never should have. In Hamlet's case, the
fact that he had a chance to murder Claudius but didn't, could be seen as a huge mistake
and the climax of the play. If Hamlet had been able to make the decision to murder his
uncle there, instead of waiting until later on in the play in which ultimately every one
of the main characters died, the whole play would have ended before it truly had begun,
hence that would have been the climax of the play and no one else would have died. 
Now might I do it pat, now he is praying: and now I'll do't. And so 'a goes to heaven;
and so am I reveng'd. That would be scann'd: a villain kills my father; and for that, I,
his sole son, do this same villain send to heave. Why, this is hire and salary, not
revenge. (Act III, Scene IV, 73-79)
But Hamlet, true to his character, was unable to make that decision fearing his Uncle
going to Heaven instead of Hell where he felt he deserve to be. The instance where Hamlet
is deciding between murdering his uncle/father or not murdering him is not the only time
he was indecisive. Even in the last scene of the first act, Hamlet show's his deathly
flaw. 
Angels and ministers of grace defend us! Be thou a spirit of health or goblin damm'd,
bring with thee airs from heave or blasts from hell, be thy intents wicked or charitable,
thou com'st in such a questionable shape that I will speak to thee: I'll call thee
Hamlet, King, Father, royal Dane: O, answer me! (Act I, Scene IV, Line 39-45)
In this speech by Hamlet, it is quite clear that he is unable to make a decision. Even
though this spirit is right in front of him and has done nothing to either Horatio or the
other men who have seen him, Hamlet is still unable to automatically assume that this
spirit is a good spirit. Even though the spirit comes in the form of his own father, he
still questions the validity of the spirit, which sets the precedent of how Hamlet will
react to all the situations of conflict that arise in the play.
Many people today, can relate to Hamlet's indecisiveness. In today's society, many people
do not rely on their instincts, but go against them. It always depends on the case
whether or not this practice of not being able to decide what is right and wrong is good.
In Hamlet's case, he waited too long to make a decision and readers and actors can learn
from Hamlet's mistake and apply it into their own lives. If you wait too long to make a
decision, you can usually cause more bad then good. However, if you wait a little while
just so you are able to reflect back on the situation before making your decision that
usually will end up helping you.
The other side of the coin, making a decision too quickly, is also a very clear reason
why this play is so cherished. In the play itself, three very important characters made a
decision too quickly. The first, and most disastrous one, would be the Queen's marriage
to her brother-in-law only two months after King Hamlet had been murdered. Because of
this marriage, all the other events occur. The other two characters were making the same
decision, with very different outcomes, because of similar situations. Laertes and
Fortinbras both wanted to avenge their father's deaths without truly thinking about the
consequences of their actions. In the play, Laertes ends up being killed because of his
need to avenge his father's death, which brought him into a death dual with Hamlet.
Fortinbras risks his own life to come to Denmark to fight for his land back, a decision
made without the backing of his own government, no less. Both of these men, made
decisions without really thinking about them. They acted on emotions, instead of
intelligence. In Laertes case, he ended up being murdered by Hamlet because of his
foolishness. In Fortinbras case, however, he ended up getting his land back, as well as
having his father's murderer killed, but all of this was only because of the fact that
the King, Hamlet, was murdered by his brother; which all leads back to Claudius and his
jealousy of his brother, which is also another very prominent theme in this play.
All of these issues of either indecisiveness or making decisions without intelligence,
will never go away, no matter what time their discussed in. Hamlet, the play, is a
wonderful outlet to teach readers that your decisions or inability to make decisions can
really cause more problems then good. 
If you read through the play, you will always find something to take from it. Whether
it's a lesson on how to behave when in a tough situation or a new found love for
Shakespeare's ability to intertwine so many different themes and ideas into one play. Or,
its just the fact that something written so long ago, could still be cherished today, is
all your own interpretation of his work. It is amazing how all of Shakespeare's works
have stood the test of time, the test of people, and the test of the present. But, do you
really see a reason why they wouldn't have? I honestly, don't.