Hamlet

[libby2007]

Hi, I was wondering if anyone can help me this question.

When Hamlet kills Claudius, what are his reasons at that moment for doing so? (Act 5, scene 3). Do they differ from his reasons in Act 1?

[Lioness_Heart]

By the end of the play, Hamlet's fundamental reasons for wanting Claudius dead (in revenge for Old Hamlet's murder) are the same, but there is a lot of difference too.

Hamlet does not act until he has to: he finds it difficult to kill in cold blood, and puts a lot of thought into what he is doing (see Prayer Scene). By the end of A5, he has little choice: he knows of the conspiracy between Claudius and Laertes, and that Claudius has just (unintentionally) killed his mother. So there is the anger there that allows Hamlet to act.

Also, after Hamlet's encounter with Fortinbras, his attitude changes dramatically, and he starts to be more active in his revenge. See his soliloquy after this meeting, particularly his comparison with Fortinbras and himself.

This is by no means the whole of the answer. Just what I can think of at the moment.

[Virgil]

By the end of the play, Hamlet's fundamental reasons for wanting Claudius dead (in revenge for Old Hamlet's murder) are the same, but there is a lot of difference too.

Hamlet does not act until he has to: he finds it difficult to kill in cold blood, and puts a lot of thought into what he is doing (see Prayer Scene). By the end of A5, he has little choice: he knows of the conspiracy between Claudius and Laertes, and that Claudius has just (unintentionally) killed his mother. So there is the anger there that allows Hamlet to act.

Also, after Hamlet's encounter with Fortinbras, his attitude changes dramatically, and he starts to be more active in his revenge. See his soliloquy after this meeting, particularly his comparison with Fortinbras and himself.

This is by no means the whole of the answer. Just what I can think of at the moment.

I agree with everything you say here except this:

Hamlet does not act until he has to: he finds it difficult to kill in cold blood
Hamlet kills Polonius (thinking it is Claudius) quite impulsively and quickly. He does spare Claudius in that prayer scene, but only because he does not want Claudius's soul to go to heaven, since Claudius is there praying. Hamlet also has Rosencrantz and Gildenstern (sp?) killed quite easily. I don't think Hamlet finds it difficult to kill.

[Lioness_Heart]

I agree with everything you say here except this:

Hamlet kills Polonius (thinking it is Claudius) quite impulsively and quickly. He does spare Claudius in that prayer scene, but only because he does not want Claudius's soul to go to heaven, since Claudius is there praying. Hamlet also has Rosencrantz and Gildenstern (sp?) killed quite easily. I don't think Hamlet finds it difficult to kill.

But In the closet scene, Hamlet is very wound-up and tense. He doesn't kill Polonius in cold blood as such, as he seems not totally in control of his mind in that scene (speaking ver un-Hamletish, with things like 'lug the guts'). Although I do see what you mean.

In the prayer scene, Hamlet's hesitation could be taken as just more unwillingness to kill (although I do agree more with what you've just said)

Hamlet has Rosencranz and Guildenstern killed to save his own life, indicating that his sense of self-preservation (at least until revenge has been exacted) is strong. Also, this is only after the really dramatic soliloquyt after his encounter with Fortinbras, which seemed to strengthen his resolve.

[Virgil]

But In the closet scene, Hamlet is very wound-up and tense. He doesn't kill Polonius in cold blood as such, as he seems not totally in control of his mind in that scene (speaking ver un-Hamletish, with things like 'lug the guts'). Although I do see what you mean.

In the prayer scene, Hamlet's hesitation could be taken as just more unwillingness to kill (although I do agree more with what you've just said)

Hamlet has Rosencranz and Guildenstern killed to save his own life, indicating that his sense of self-preservation (at least until revenge has been exacted) is strong. Also, this is only after the really dramatic soliloquyt after his encounter with Fortinbras, which seemed to strengthen his resolve.

:lol: You keep excusing Hamlet. And yet he kills how many people? Look he is of a different mind set than our modern view on killing. People find that a little hard to believe. :)

[Ashley Hallford]

I agree that modern readers have to take the context and time period of the piece into account, and that they should realize that Hamlet's intense thoughts and actions of murder are not exactly moral according to any time periods' standards.

[Lioness_Heart]

:lol: You keep excusing Hamlet. And yet he kills how many people? Look he is of a different mind set than our modern view on killing. People find that a little hard to believe. :)

:lol: yes... although to be fair to him, he does not directly kill many people. But I still think that he is not a cold-blooded killer except when necessary. It is his mistakes, and the fact that he puts off the killing that lead to so many people dying.

Although I see your point about the context.

[schadenfreude]

I agree with Lioness Heart. I think that it is more important to analyse Hamlet's transition from procrasination to action, because that seems to be the main difference, as his reasons for exacting revenge on Claudius remains the same. It is also interesting to note how many times Hamlet says "But it is no matter" (or something to that effect) in Act Five, particularly at points where it seems like he will go into a lenthy discussion of psychological matters. Perhaps this indicates that Hamlet must supress his thoughts in order to act.