Why is Hamlet a tragic figure?

[NikkiM714]

I need to describe why Hamlet is a tragic figure with explicit examples. Can someone please help?

[IWilKikU]

Ahh, the homework help request. I think the standard protocal is to either

A) ignore it
B) joke about how we hate homework scavengers
or
C) Actually give them what they need

I dont know why but I think I'm going to go with C today :eek: !

Hamlet is a tragic figure because he's trapped in a damned if you do, damned if you dont situation. His late father has returned from the grave and demanded action against Hamlet's usurping uncle Claudius. For his father's honor and his own, he must kill Claudius. However, Claudius has alot more balls that ol' Hammy, cause Claudius came out and kicked some ***, Hammy just talks about it, and talks about it, and talks about it, and talks about it :o . Anyways, Hamlet's tragic flaw was his inability to act. Also, he has to keepthe knowlege of his father's murder a secret so no one (including his ?lover? Ophelia) know how to react to him acting like a fricking fruit basket. In the process of trying to mess with his evil uncles head, he drives Ophelia to insanity, followed by suicide. That leads to Leartes getting pissed off and Him and Claude getting all crazy during the dule and getting EVERYONE except Sam Gamgee, uh I mean Horatio, killed (including his mother who he was supposed to be protecting from the leacherous clutches of his evil incestuous uncle C).

The only thing that is more tragic than that is the fact that the last homework help post was answered with a comment somthing along the lines of "wouldn't it be funny if we gave them a completely wrong answere just to screw them over? Hahaha!!!" Was I being serious? I guess the only way to find out is to READ the play for yourself. Good luck.

[Sindhu]

The only thing that is more tragic than that is the fact that the last homework help post was answered with a comment somthing along the lines of "wouldn't it be funny if we gave them a completely wrong answere just to screw them over? Hahaha!!!" Was I being serious? I guess the only way to find out is to READ the play for yourself. Good luck.
Oh God! I've just picked myself off the floor after a paroxysm of giggling! I thought The Silly Shakespeare series (has any one read them? They are positively hilarious) provided the most whacko summaries of the bard available anywhere, but IWilKikU, you beat them hollow! Do you think you could do the same sort of analysis on a few more plays? I'd love to read them- even at the risk of expiring from excessive laughter!
:D

[IWilKikU]

I dont know Sindhu, that was alot of work. Its going to take some serious thought to do another one. ;)

[Sindhu]

Well, consider it when you get time- just think of the shher delight you'll be imparting!;)

[Abdul_Aziz]

;) Well we did this in school. And that was one of the questions we discussed. Of course at school we did it in abridged form so it was quite easy to read. Hamlet is a tragic fig. as he is burdened with a lot of things. The death of his father, then his mother's marraige, the apparition of his father telling him to kill his uncle, one cannot go through all this. He would go mad. That's what Hamlet kind of went through, or pretended to go through:mad:. Then comes the question of killing his uncle, the king. Of course if somebody told you to kill someone what would you do. Get terrified. The death of Ophelia also leaves a great mark on him, and of course at such an age if you find out that someone's after ur life the of course you mould get tense. He also in the end dies in such a terrible way, with his mother and uncle, this is also tragic. Hamlet is also very good compared with his uncle and when goodness is burdened with killing and suicide than it is tragic.

[GoldenTears]

IWilKikU: That was genius. Complete genius. ^__^

***

However, yes, ONE of Hamlet's tragic flaws is his inability to act, or we can say, his scruples.

And I will most certainly say more when I get my mother to quit nagging me about getting a boyfriend. (TMI, sorry. ^^)