Act 3 Blog Final - Why the Delay

Hamlet is reluctant in killing his uncle for a magnitude of reasons including moral standards, lack of evidence, timing and indecision. It is said Hamlet is procrastinating in his work to kill; he is unsure whether or not the ghost’s accusations are true or not. To begin, the source that informed him of the murder is a ghost of his father, not the most reputable of sources (experts say). How can Hamlet trust such an odd source for such an important situation involving murder? How does he know it is even real? In Act 3 scene 5 Hamlet speaks to the ghost in the presence of Gertrude who can’t see it. Did Hamlet go mad due to his father’s death? Madness is a motif, correct? Assuming the ghost was real, Hamlet faces indecision to kill the King. He wants to avenge his father but he loves his mother and wouldn't want to see her hurt from another loss. We can relate to Hamlet because when making decisions he thinks of those affected around him. A good decision requires a strong opinion, drive and self reflection, the link above teaches us how to make good decisions.  Hamlet cannot take action right away, it is wise for him to delay and think. He must make the decision that he is guilty for himself, so he plans to watch Claudius’s reaction during the play he put on “The Mouse Trap” to prove that he is truly guilty through Hamlets ability to read people well. When Hamlet is convinced Claudius committed the murder he is ready to kill him during his prayer in church, as usual Hamlet delays. Hamlets delay is caused by the timing of murder so he says, “And am I then revenged to take him in the purging of his soul when he is fit and seasoned for his passage? No. Up, sword, and know thou a more horrid hent.” (3.3. 86-89) Killing Claudius at this moment is doing him a favour; he is repenting his sins and is ready for passage. Hamlet wants his father’s revenge to be perfect, so he must delay and wait for a more opportune moment. Hamlet’s reluctance to murdering his uncle is quite justified. Unlike the soldiers in Fortinbras army, Hamlet’s actions have meaning. He must weigh the pros and cons; his mother’s sanity or revenge for his father. Delaying the murder is the right thing to do he is gathering evidence to prove that Claudius murdered his father, see if murder is just and making his own decision. When acting on impulse mistakes are made. Hamlet acts on impulse and kills Polonius behind a tapestry. If Hamlet had thought for a moment it would have stopped the bloodbath from occurring in Act 5. Shakespeare is teaching a valuable lesson that making decisions in life can take time to decide. Making the right choice is very important, whether it is murder or going home on the quiet weekend when it is a busy time of the year. It is easy to say Hamlet is procrastinating from his work but murder is not an easy crime to commit, especially when he himself did not come to the conclusion that he must murder Claudius but instructed to by his father ghost. 

 

This image portrays the decision people make every day that shape their future. These are hard decisions, like Hamlet they must think and not be impulsive.

Contract Burning. Digital image. Huffington Post Tech. 23 Oct. 2013. 27 Jan. 2014 <http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2013/10/23/ofcom-phone-contract-deci_n_4147294.html>.