Hamlets Character Essays - Characters In Hamlet,

Hamlet's Character In Hamlet's speech in act three, scene three Hamlet discloses many facets of his character to us, aspects that we have thus far only been able to see as fragments in other speeches. He reveals himself to be an over-analytical man who often procrastinates. He also shows that he does not really want to kill Claudius but feels compelled to out of a sense of duty to his dead father. Hamlet demonstrates his over-analytical nature in line seventy-three of the speech when he says "That would be scann'd:", meaning that he should examine his situation more closely. Instead of simply killing Claudius while he had the chance he over-analyses and eventually decides to postpone Claudius' murder, missing the best chance he will obtain in the play. Hamlet is also a procrastinator and this is demonstrated many times in the play. In line eighty he says "Why, this is hire and salary, not revenge". He knows that he must kill Claudius but he postpones it. This almost suggests that Hamlet does not really want to kill Claudius, but feels obligated to do so. Through his over-analysis he seems to be almost talking himself out of doing his job. One of Hamlet's most renown traits is his over-analysis of conversational topics and situations in which action must be taken. An example of his over-analytical nature is apparent in his speech in act one, scene four, line 13. He begins his speech quite normally, replying with a simple answer to Horatio's inquiry but then his thoughts begin to wander and he starts to analyze and philosophize about topics unrelated to Horatio's question. Another trait of Hamlet is the way he procrastinates. For example, in act two, scene two, line 603 he convinces himself that his plan to add sixteen lines to the play and watch Claudius' reaction, rather than completing his task, is the best plan of action. Although in the end he postpones the murder of Claudius, beginning on line 570 he acknowledges his lack of action. This also shows that Hamlet does not really want to kill the king and that he will go to great lengths to postpone his duty. In fact, Hamlet reveals to us about his unwillingness to kill Claudius early in the play. In act one, scene five, line 189 he says "O cursed spite,/That ever I was born to set it right!", meaning that he is angry that he is now put in the position of having to kill the king and he is sorry that he was born with this destiny.