Personality Traits of Hamlet

Indecisiveness: Hamlet's Hamartia

William Shakespeare's tragedy, Hamlet, is packed with complicated characters and their tangled psychological states. Right in the middle of it all is our puzzling lead, Hamlet himself. His personality drives the story and gets us thinking about some big themes. Through his soliloquies, chats with others, and actions, we see what he's all about. So, let's dive into some of Hamlet's key traits: his indecisiveness, his introspection, and his intellectualism. By picking these apart, we'll get a closer look at who Hamlet really is and why he matters in the play.

Indecisiveness: Hamlet's Hamartia

Hamlet's got this thing where he just can't make up his mind. It's like, right from the start of the play you see it. He can't just act when he finds out from his dad's ghost that his uncle did something nasty. Instead of going for revenge, he's stuck thinking about what's right and wrong. This not only stops him from taking action but also messes with his head because he's trying to be a good son while wanting justice. Alexander Leggatt points out that maybe this comes from Hamlet doubting himself and having an existential crisis. It makes him someone people can relate to and pretty complex.

Also, you can see this indecisiveness in how he deals with people like Ophelia. He says he loves her but swings between being sweet and mean. It leaves both him and her upset. Remember that line "To be or not to be"? He's wondering if life is worth living—talk about uncertain! It's this internal struggle that shows how much he hesitates to make any firm decisions.

Introspection: The Inner Turmoil of Hamlet

Another big part of Hamlet's personality is how deeply he thinks about stuff. Throughout the play, he's always reflecting on things through these intense soliloquies. They give us a peek into what he's really feeling inside and how he questions life's meaning.

Take that famous "To be or not to be" speech again. Here, he's weighing death against life, thinking hard about what happens after we die or if it's better to fight through life's troubles or just end it all. This level of deep thinking shows Hamlet in full-on existential crisis mode.

His introspection isn't just limited to himself; it extends to other characters too. He's always trying to figure out why people do what they do by analyzing their motivations—like with his uncle Claudius who he suspects killed his dad. This ability lets him see through people's facades, showing off both his intellect and introspective nature.

Intellectualism: Hamlet's Scholarly Nature

You can't talk about Hamlet without mentioning how smart he is. He's super well-educated and into philosophy and literature big time. This comes through in how eloquently he speaks and all the references to classic works.

A perfect example? That chat with the gravedigger in Act V—it’s both witty and philosophical as they discuss mortality and human existence’s futility amid grave circumstances (pun intended). This scene alone highlights just how intellectually deep Hamlet really goes.

This braininess affects how he tackles problems too; instead of rushing into things impulsively like others might do under pressure situations (cough Laertes cough), our guy here plans carefully using strategies rooted within logic rather than rashness...like setting up "The Mousetrap" play-within-a-play scheme aimed directly at catching Uncle Claudius red-handed!

Conclusion

So yeah—when you look closely at it all together? Indecisiveness mixed alongside introspective tendencies plus intellectual prowess really shape out what makes “our” Prince tick throughout Hamlet. These aspects reflect inner struggles battling moral dilemmas whilst questioning existence/purpose itself—all wrapped neatly inside intellectual pursuits pushing boundaries further than expected even amidst chaos surrounding events unfolding around him...highlighting timeless themes echoing across centuries touching upon morality/existentialism/truth-seeking journeys intertwined alongside quests towards justice long sought after yet rarely obtained ultimately leaving readers/viewers pondering deeper implications lingering beyond surface-level observations presented before them ultimately leading back full circle revisiting initial inquiry posed earlier whether choice truly exists absent consequence looming overhead perpetually haunting ever onward forward step taken thereafter henceforth continuing ad infinitum indefinitely until conclusion reached finally attained someday somehow somewhere someday...

• Shakespearean Tragedy by A.C Bradley
• The Cambridge Companion to Shakespearean Tragedy edited by Claire McEachern
• Understanding Shakespeare's Plays in Performance by Jay L Halio
• The Elizabethan World Picture by E.M.W Tillyard
• The Structure Of Complex Words by William Empson