The Ambiguous Nature of Hamlet :: GCSE Coursework Shakespeare Hamlet

The Ambiguous Nature of Hamlet In William Shakespeares Hamlet, the protagonist exhibits a puzzling, duplicitous nature. Hamlet contradicts himself through disclose the play. He endorses both the virtues of acting a role and that of being true to ones self. He further supports both of these conflicting endorsements with his actions. This ambiguity is demonstrated by his alleged madness, for he does behave madly, only to obtain perfectly calm and rational an instant later. These inconsistencies are related with the internal dilemmas he faces. He struggles with the issue of revenging his fathers death, vowing to kill Claudius and then backing out, several times. Upon this identify Hamlet stammers through the play. The reason for this teetering is directly related to his inability to form a solid opinion about role playing. This difficulty is not present, however, at the start of the play. In the first act, Hamlet appears to be very straightforward in his actions and inner state. Wh en questioned by Gertrude about his melancholy appearance, Hamlet says, Seems, madam? nay it is. I know not seems. (1.2.76). This is to say I am what I appear to be. Later In Act I, Hamlet makes a clear direction about his state when he commits himself to revenge. In this statement the play makes an easy to follow shift. This shift consists of Hamlet giving up the role of a schoolchild and mourning son. Hamlet says, Ill wipe away all trivial fond records, All saws of books, all forms, all pressures past, That youth and observation copied there, And thy commandment all solely shall live Within the book and volume of my brain (1.5.99-103). Hamlet is declaring that he will be committed to nothing else but the revenge of his fathers death. There is no confusion about Hamlets character. He has said earlier that he is what he appears to be, and there is no reason to doubt it. In the next act, however, Hamlets status and intentions suddenly, and with out demonstrated reason, become mire d in confusion. When Hamlet appears again in act two, it seems that he has lost the conviction that was present earlier. He has yet to moot up the part assigned to him by the ghost. He spends the act walking around, reading, talking with Polonius, Rosencrantz, Guildenstern, and the players. It is not until the very end of the act that he even mentions vengeance.