The Grieving of HamletAlthough many different positions could be taken on writing an essay for this Shakespearian play, the author took it upon himself to write about Hamlets grief. His grief is obvious from the beginning of the play and he continues to grieve althroughout the play. Within his twenty-one-page essay, I chose this line to represent that I agree with his outlook on the play. his focus is on his grief and the profound impact in which the ghost has upon it. (Hamlet pg.
18 paragraph 3)I strongly agree with this statement because Hamlet is continually showing huge amounts of grief throughout the play. Even in his opening words in the play he shows some amount of grief to his uncle, the new king, and his mother. His mother basically says that his father is dead, and that there is no bringing him back. So what good does it do for him to weep and mourn? Hamlet replies to this by saying:Seems madam nay it is! I know not seemsTis not alone my inky cloak, good mother,Not customary suit of solemn black. Not windy suspiration of forcd breath, No, nor the fruitful rover pf the eye,Nor the dejected haviour of the visage,Together with all forms, moods, shapes, of grief,That can denote me truly. These, indeed seems, For they are actions that a man might play;But I have that with in which passes show—These but the trappings and the suits of woe.
(1,2,76-78)Clearly this shows Hamlet grieving his fathers death while showing hostility to the king and queen for being so deathly cold about the previous kings death. Also the readers can also see in Hamlets opening dialogue, it shows that he still has not come to terms with his fathers death and is still in the state of shock when we first see him. All throughout the play Hamlet mourns the loss of his father, especially since his father is appearing to him as a ghostly figure telling him to avenge his death, and throughout the play it sets the stage and shows us how he is plotting to get back at the assassinator. Such an instance where the ghost appears to Hamlet is when Hamlet and his mother are in her bedchamber where the ghost will make his last appearance. Hamlet tells his mother to look where the ghost appears but she cannot see it because he is the only one who that has the ability to see him.
Queen: upon the heat and flame of thy distenger. Sprinkle cool patience. Whereon do you look? (3,4,127-128)Obviously she does not see what Hamlet sees. So Hamlet, in total disbelief says:On Him! On Him! Look you how pale he glares!His form and causes conjoined; preaching to stones,Would make them capable- Do not look upon me,Lest with this piteous action you convertMy stern effects then what I have to do. Will want true color tears perchance for blood. (3, 4,129-134)The author suggest that Shakespeares purpose in arousing them is not to call Hamlets character to judgement, but to expand our understanding of the nature and intensity of his suffering.
Come upon Hamlet while he has still not even begun to assimilate the loss of a living father, while he is still freshly mourning, seemingly alone in Denmark, for the death of a king. (Hamlets, 18, 4)So my argument sides with sides with Arthur Kirsch, I also believe that Hamlet is grieving an incredible amount throughout the play. But I would not even begin to understand what he is going through because I do not know what it is like to mourn over you fathers death. So Hamlet has every right to grieve considering the circumstances. In the end Hamlet gets what he is trying to get during the play and that is justice, and justice was served accordingly in his mind.
Although Hamlet pays a high price for revenge, he did what his father had asked for a now he could close the final chapter of his life as being successful.Words/ Pages : 688 / 24
