Hamlet as a Tragic Hero

Webster's dictionary defines tragedy as, "a serious drama typically describing a conflict between the protagonist and a superior force (such as destiny) and having a sorrowful or disastrous conclusion that excites pity or terror." A tragic hero, therefore, is the character who experiences such a conflict and suffers catastrophically as a result of his choices and related actions. The character of Hamlet is a clear representation of Shakespeare's tragic hero, as he possesses all the necessary characteristics of such a hero. Hamlet is seen as a tragic hero as he has doomed others because of a serious error in judgment, also Hamlet is responsible for his own fate and Hamlet has been endowed with a tragic flaw. These character traits and distinctiveness make Hamlet a Tragic Hero.

Firstly, one of the defining traits of a tragic hero is that he or she is responsible for their own fate. Hamlet has chosen to believe the Ghost and attempt to prove that Claudius did, in fact, murder King Hamlet. Hamlet has chosen to invite danger and he has chosen to put on an antic disposition. To begin, Hamlet was not totally convinced about what the Ghost had described to him so Hamlet took it upon himself to prove Claudius's guilt. For example, "I'll have these players play something like the murder of my father before mine uncle: I'll observe his looks; I'll tent him to the quick; if he but the blench, I know my coarse. The spirit that I have seen may be the devil: and the devil hath power to assume a pleasing shape / The play's the thing wherein I'll catch the conscience of the king." (Hamlet II.ii 592-603) Hamlet schemes to determine Claudius's guilt through the play. Claudius views the play and becomes very uncomfortable with the situation to the point of stopping the play and leaving. This confirms Claudius's guilt to Hamlet, and

Hamlet again sets out to avenge his father's death. Hamlet could have prevented much suffering by exacting his revenge earlier on in the play but Hamlet is too educated to be persuaded by a Ghost. As hamlet said "The spirit that I have seen may be the devil: and the devil hath power to assume a pleasing shape." (II.ii 596-597)

Next, Hamlet continues to invite danger as he is in his mother's room and he stabs blindly into the curtains and kills Polonius. (Conversation between King and Hamlet) "Now Hamlet, where's Polonius? / At supper / At supper! Where? / Not where he eats, but where he is eaten: a certain convocation of politic worms are e'en at him. Your worm is your only emperor for diet: well fat all creatures else to fat us, and we fat ourselves for maggots: your fat king and your lean begat is but variable service, two dishes, but to one table: that's the end." (IV.iii 17-26) Hamlet has chosen this fate for himself. It was his choice to hide the body from Laertes as well as the king. Hamlet knows that Laertes will be looking for him, seeking revenge for the death of his father. In addition to that, Hamlet insults the king in front of a room of people. Hamlet has chosen to walk the path of danger just as Macbeth did. Macbeth was already king but he believed in the prophecy so much that he had to send three mercenaries out to kill Banquo. Macbeth also sent murders to kill Macduff's wife and child. These actions were unnecessary they only draw more attention to ones wrong doings and just as Macbeth doomed himself to demise, Hamlet is walking the same path.

Lastly, Hamlet realizes that he cannot fulfill the wish of the Ghost unless he has evidence of his own. To do that Hamlet must devise a way where he can act in a manner in which he can investigate the king without drawing too much attention to himself. For example, "Here, as before, never, so help you mercy, How strange or odd soe'er I bear myself, As I perchance hereafter shall think meet to put an antic disposition on, That you, at such times seeing me, never shall, with arms encumber'd thus, or this head shack, or by pronouncing of some doubtful phrase...." (I.v 170-175) Hamlet knows by putting on this disposition that he will be left alone and much of his behaviour will be pardoned. Elizabethans firmly believed that the insane were touched by God and, in a sense, were revered and left to their own devices. If Hamlet acts like a noble, he has no cover for his accusations, if he acts insane the behavior becomes expected by everyone around him.. In summary, Hamlet is in control of his own fate. When he believed the evil ghost, Hamlet knew that proving Claudius's guilt would not be easy. When he hid the body of Polonius and invited the wrath of Laertes he was in control of his own fate as well as when he put on an antic disposition to elude the attention way from his real plan.

Another way that Hamlet fits the description of a Shakespearian tragic hero is that he has he has doomed the others because of a serious error in his judgment. In order to gain a greater incite into his father's death Hamlet has chosen to act insane. He believes that acting insane will give the freedom he desires to investigate the king. In doing so Hamlet has doomed three important individuals: Ophelia, Gertrude and Polonius. Ophelia is a beautiful young woman with whom Hamlet has been in love. In this instance, Ophelia finds out what she believes to be the truth for the first time about their relationship. "If thou dost marry, I'll give thee this plague for thy dowry: be thou as chaste as ice, as pure as snow, thou shalt not escape calumny. Get thee to a nunnery, go; farewell. Or, if thou wilt needs marry, marry a fool; for wise men know well enough that monsters you made of them. To a nunnery, go; and quickly too. Farwell." (III.i 135-141) During the course of Hamlet's antic disposition he interacted with many characters, one of those being his love Ophelia, but in this instance Hamlet is casting Ophelia away, even though Ophelia is portrayed as Hamlet's true love. Hamlet refers to a nunnery, insinuating that Ophelia is full of sins and she should go to a nunnery rather then love Hamlet. The relevance of this is that Ophelia believed that Hamlet was in love with her so when she found out that her feelings were victimized the entire time it lead her on the path of destruction that eventually caused her own downfall.

Next, Hamlet's mother Gertrude has shown her undying loyalty to Hamlet throughout the play but through a series of fated events, she pays the ultimate price for an unjust cause. For instance, "He's fat, and scant of breath. Here, Hamlet, take my napkin, rub thy brows: The queen carouses to they fortune, Hamlet/(King:) Gertrude, do not drink. /It is the poison'd cup: it is too late. (V.ii 279-284) Claudius is not prepared to take the risk that Hamlet

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