Interpretating Hamlet: Why Must Hamlet Die?

I like A.C. Bradley's interpretation of Hamlet the best; he definitely brings the character of Hamlet into a more enlightened perspective, allowing us to see the true Hamlet, the focus of the play. I found that the other scholar's focused more on theme and archetypes when to truly understand why Hamlet must die, you need to focus on every aspect of his character. While the other scholars may have explained a lot about emotion and a number of other aspects influencing the story, A.C. Bradley seems to have nailed down exactly what drives Hamlet to act the way he does. I feel as though I now understand his position in the story much better, and I can see every angle to which Hamlet must analyse to act on his emotions. The way he sees Hamlet before the incident of his father's murder puts him in a more respectable light, describing him as "fearless" and how he "saw the best in people." A.C. Bradley sheds some light on Hamlet's more "human" side, when he was easier to identify as a hero.
He then takes a look at all of the outside influences that change Hamlet into a tragic hero, such as the loss of his father, and the "moral shock of the sudden ghastly disclosure of his mother's true nature." These are his causes of melancholy, which ultimately hold him a prisoner of his emotions, preventing him from responding "with normal vigour." The crushing blow of melancholy is what thwarts Hamlet from acting like he would have before his father's death, for truly Hamlet was "by no means frail or sensitive", as was he a "graceful youth, sweet." I like the idea that Hamlet loses the ability to calculate consideration, and that he has no more firm beliefs. Hamlet really does become lost in thought, "thought-sick" as Bradley puts it, and therefore he cannot understand why he delays his action, and after shaking "free of his melancholy, he is unable to understand the paralysing pressure which exerts at other times." From the moment his father dies he becomes a different person so to speak, but we still remember who he was before such an incident happened, allowing us to keep Hamlet in the light of "hero", but adds a heavy amount of pathos to the cynicism of what he must do. Though Bradley looks into the external circumstances of Hamlet's delay of action, presenting (from Hamlet's point of view) many hidden sides to consider when we call Hamlet a coward for not satisfying his needs, we see that Hamlet simply can't act, and shows no sign of planning in the text. He simply cannot think any longer, do to the "profound melancholy", and the violent shock that explains why Hamlet does what he does. Hamlet must die because he is no longer human in a way, just a thought-sick boy who can no longer respond normally to anything. Though he may still feel joy in some aspects to life, such as meeting old acquaintances or acting and fencing, Hamlet can no longer avoid his "disgust at life and everything in it", he is virtually scarred for life, and will only experience true joy in death, the cause of his misery in the first place. Oh irony.

Who is Hamlet to me?

Being of the perfect age to study the character of Hamlet, I have developed a patience for understanding his motivations and emotions. It may be hard for an adult to look at his character and wonder why he didn't take a more mature approach to the situation, but I can assess his predicament with all of my teenage hormones, under developed sense of decision making, and my wild emotions.
Hamlet turns the phrase "over whelmed" into the understatement of the year, the boy would be half crazy with grief, remorse, anger, abandonment and every other emotion that follows the death of a loved one. For me, the feeling would be a depressive state of loneliness. It would be hard for me to accept condolence from any one, let alone mingle with friends or family, it would be an all-consuming time of emotional blankness as well, where the pain is numbing. In the time of his helplessness, the unthinkable happens. His "grieving mother" remarries, and moves forward from this dark time of despair with no looking back. A teenage needs time to vent, to release their emotions before the get so heavy that they crush you. If there is never a time for grieving, or a time to release the anxiety, it only stores itself away for later use, ready to erupt at the first sign of further distress. This happens to Hamlet, his mother practically slaps him in the face, taking away his precious time of emotional uncertainty, and leaving him so angry that he shouldn't be able to properly control himself. I should weep for Hamlet because this situation is more than any teenager can bear, we are not at a level in which we can deal with daunting emotions, and we cannot form rational ways to react to situations as such.
Hamlet to me is every teenager that feels the immense pressures of life, and does not get the chance to resurface from drowning in emotional turmoil. He is not super human, and he does not have an over developed ability to deal with stress, so he should be given the chance to deal with things his way. The hard thing to think about is that Hamlet is not given that chance, he MUST move on, and he has to bury his emotions to put on a happy face for his mother. Hamlet is selfless in that sense, but inside, he struggles more than he lets any one see. This is what drives teenagers to the point of depression, the inability to release built up emotion, and the deprivation of some one to turn to. Hamlet experiences the unthinkable, and for me, what ever he chooses to do with that emotion is any bodies fault but his. We are not built to deal with emotions like that, and his behaviour is mitigated quite justly.

Response 1 for Schools of critisism: Feminist Lit.Theory

"Touching Bottom" by Kari Strutt

The message behind this story was very powerful, and the metaphorical term of "touching bottom" in this story is wonderful. The author portrays the main character as the ultimate female protagonist, who withstands physical and mental stress to reach a self realization and a permanent dignity boost.
The role of men and women in the family is strongly lopsided and clearly evident of stereotypical male incompetence. The women, the main character, has had some troubles in the past and has finally developed a maternal instinct and a love for her boyfriends son, she assumes the role of the caring and devoted mother in a troubling situation. The boyfriend, of whom you never really hear of until the hot volley ball girl scene (signifying his lack of importance) takes on the role of the confused, mid-life crisis enduring schmuck who has his priorities out of order. This makes the boyfriend shallow and unpleasant, leaving the true compassion to the woman.
The author must have had some sort of past experience with an unfaithful man, because the moral of this story seems to be, "The only man a woman can trust is her Daddy." The father is loving and inspiring, for it is he who offers the initial advice of "don't marry him", and it is also his words that the woman recalls in her desperate time of drowning to fight through. He helped her build the foundation of her strength, and when she faltered he was there to stand her up again and give her the support she needed. In many ways the author is showing that this is the ideal form of man, and the most trustworthy. The author also shows that women can come up with the strength to fight on their own, if they have reason enough too, like a child. The ending of the story is great because the reader has the satisfaction of knowing that a woman's love never goes without thankfulness, and signifies that true compassion for a child or for anything will earn you recognition and devotion. Touching Bottom was a great metaphor for any woman who is going through a tough time, and ends with the knowledge that though you may lose something in the process of drowning, you will gain many things in the long run, like respect, integrity, and a deeper understanding of ones self.

Focusing Question: Considering the social and historical conditions for women of the time period, should a mother's hardships act as an explanation for her daughter's neglect?



In the time of "I Stand Here Ironing," the "pre-relief, pre-WPA world of the depression", the mother in the story does not have a lot of options. She needs to be working to support herself and her new baby, she has to cope with the difficulties of single-motherhood, and she has to take care of a child. Difficult choices have to be made in this situation, and most are not ideal for the mother and narrator. In the early years of Emily's life, during infancy, it is important for her to be nursed and cared for by her mother, Emily's mother realizes this but she is powerless to it. It seemed necessary to send Emily away, first to the father's family and then to the nursery school, so that enough money could be made to support them both. This would not be an easy choice for the mother, but Emily makes it easier for her by never rebelling or putting up a fuss, it's almost as if she understands her mothers situation and wants to make it easier. Emily is very mature for her age; forced to be mature, because of the number of situations she's been thrown into. The harsh conditions of solitude make for an unpleasant upbringing, like nursery school and care taking from other parents, and the support of a mother would be the antidote to that depression. The mother seems to always find away to admire her daughter from afar though, never really giving Emily the attention and love she deserves, but saying how impressed she is by the girl she's growing up to be. She is so blind to say, "What in me demanded that goodness in her?" It seems that Emily fully realizes the situation her mothers been placed in, and the unconditional love for her mother allows her to cooperate and understand things, but always with the underlying resentment for her situation. This is why Emily does not smile, or comes across as shy or quiet, she understands, but she is still probably upset with her mother. Emily is selfless, and this does not come from her mother, it grows from her own nature of compassion and understanding, she's developed it on her own.
The mother sees this understanding and takes advantage of her daughter, leaving "her alone at nights, telling themselves she was old enough." She also seems to think that the "new daddy" introduced on pg 407 lead to a "better time", and a reason for her comedic pantomimes and semantics, and this is a very conceited thing to think.
With more children born Emily is forced to grow up and adopt maternal instincts far beyond her age, she must help her mother. She shops, feeds, cares for, and raises the children along side her mother, without seeing that care and compassion for herself. It must be hard to see that kind of love directed to her other siblings and accept that she did not receive that same treatment, she would be hurt and jealous. However, Emily does not complain, in fact she insists that she is fine, such as the time that Emily is having a nightmare and tells her mother, "I'm alright, go back to sleep, mother."
Emily's mother should have been more compassionate, because once a child has been through enough they will change the way they respond to familiar situations. Emily drops behind in school, stops eating right, and does not respond to her mothers touch, she jerks away from her. In the times when Emily is worried about her appearance, her mother should have been the one to comfort her and assure her that she was one of a kind and beautiful. Emily's mother does not do this, she reflects of her daughters insecurities and does nothing to change her mind. She becomes jealous of her siblings and their differences, their love and better circumstances, and accept for her tiny comments about stolen riddles and stolen artifacts, Emily does not complain or cry out.
On page 411, while Emily's mother is reviewing her daughters insecurities, she is interupted by Ronnie who is crying. This is her mother's problem, she has moved on from Emily, she no longer cares for trying to change any thing for her daughter because she has new worries, new children. Her attemps to make things better for Emily have stopped, and she is now convincing herself that Emily will be fine just as she always has been, that she will "leave her seal" in some way. Emily's mother does not even remember what makes Emily so special any more, she blames it on the "terrible growing years. War years." When "there were four smaller ones now, and there was not time for her." She has completely given up on her first child, trusting her to make her own way. I actually cried during Emily's call to her mother, crying to her that she had won the talent show and they clapped and wouldn't let her go. That was Emily's doing, her way of making it on her own, her seal. And what can the mother do? Nothing, because she has no money. Emily's talent is her escape from her reality, and her mother cannot support that talent with funding or attention. Emily had found a way without her mother, but that does not mean that her mother can use that as an excuse, as a way out of dealing with years of neglect. She says, "Why did you want me to come in at all? Why were you concerned? She will find her way," and leaves it at that, she is done with Emily.
Emily is the strongest type of female, she is selfless and understands people's situations around her, tending to others needs instead of her own. She should be given full credit and appreciation for her suffering and enduring, for taking care of her mother and providing her with an easier lifestyle, with one less child to care about. The mother should not take credit for this transformation, of Emily's becoming a woman with a way in the world. And yet, Emily's mother cannot even then take responsibilities for her actions, she says that she "will never total it all," and then she does. She lists all of the reasons that she could never be there for her Emily, saying that she was powerless to the outcomes of her daughter, that it was inevitable. She does take responsibility for herself in the end, she finally admits that her "wisdom came to late," and that "probably little will come of it." The best thing the mother could do is hope that Emily has a better life with more change, she cannot change anything more, what's done was done. It is sad to see that the mother can only stand by and hope, because this is a lasting powerlessness that will follow her for her whole life. Emily's mother was always powerless due to money, due to other children, due to being alone, but that should not have stopped her from providing Emily with the best possible compassion a daughter deserves. Emily made her way because she had to, and she is one special girl for putting up with so much for all those years.

Persuasion Example

(I am going to attempt to use hyperbole to enhance my claim, I am not this parsimonious.)

On the weekend of February 21st, I was instructed to throw a suprise birthday party for my step mother, of whom I am not entirely fond of. It was to be of an Irish theme - though I do not know why - so that was easy enough for me; my obsessive passions for all that is Irish would help me put on quite the party. It was a suprise for all, the entire works I pulled in made the whole place sparkle with greens and whites. The 5o balloons were traditional, the bar was stocked with draft Guinness and Murphy's irish stout, and the music was my own; my favourite Celtic bands with plenty of bodhran to keep the beat alive. At present time, the very last gift was my fathers, naturally I expected his to be the most glorious. I had no idea, however, the impact to which this gift would have on me. The present was a two week vaccation to Ireland, accomodations lying in Dublin and Cork. When my step mother asked, "Is Cork in Ireland?" I lost my sense of self control. I became livid, so angry that I felt it radiating off me in violent waves, I was absolutly sure that my brother beside me could feel my furious tremors. Ireland. My dream. I am the one the should be going to Ireland, not my oblivious step figure. My family knows of my fixations, they even tease me about it, "Don't you think that boy is cute Tori? Huh, bet you would if he relaxed his vowels and picked up a fiddle," "Hey, Tori, you'll fly right over it on your way to Europe, just wave." I write stories with Irish characters, I'm fascinated by the accents, I want so badly to experience village life under first name basis, relaxed and ever slow. I have planned trips, I have learned the Celtic flute, I fill my Ipod with traditional irish favourites because celtic folk rock can truly never be outdone, in my mind. So why does this simple minded woman get my trip? Just because her hair is red does not mean that she is "visiting her home land to aquiant herself with a previous life," that is utterly absurd! At least have some appreciation for the culture you are to experience, stay in a thatched cottage and smell the old timber, rather than exult in the fact that cheap beer and shopping are around the corner. I should be the one going to Ireland, for I appreciate the culture, it pains me day and night to accept the fact that my dream will have to wait, for another, perhaps never coming day. I suppose I should be happy that I will see pictures, but even then, will I forever look with scathing eyes at the vile woman who is taking my trip away from me. I should be the one going to Ireland.

Argument Example



When one thinks of femininity, you respond with images of lace and pink, with fragility and shyness, and often with a sense of helplessness. This is not the case for every one, in all fairness, but universally certain associations and stereotypes are awarded unjustly to our species. This is not the way all women exist, and it is important to see each woman for the unique person she is, and not to lump them into the same category with preconceived notions of "average female behaviour." A woman must never be judged, because we are too headstrong to be figured out so quickly. Each woman should be considered equal, and every woman should never be guessed at. No one should assume all women to be equal, to follow the same pattern as my initial description of the stereotype, because so few of us are truly like this. For the women that have muscled arms, toned bodies, or even an extra couple love pounds floating around their middles, we deserve to be approached with an open mind, and never considered "out of the norm" for not following the frail, pinky suite. Take a woman for what she's worth, and measure her only by knowing her, ladies should never be stereotyped because of the few women that make that acceptable. Treat every woman as a unique individual, and give them the time to explain their uniqueness.