Hamlets Delay.

Why Hamlet Delays is a huge Question throughout the play. When Hamlet is visited by the ghost of his late father King Hamlet at the beginning of the play, Hamlet is informed that the death of his father was no accident and that he was in fact murdered by his uncle, Claudius. Hearing this news, Hamlet is left to ponder the decision on whether or not to seek revenge on his uncle for his father’s death. "Haste me to know't, that I, with wings as swift as meditation or the thoughts of love, may sweep to my revenge." (1.5.7) However, Hamlet is yet to decide whether the ghost he saw that night was real and whether this information of his father’s death was true. Hamlet is left with a struggle against himself and personal values on whether it is justifiable to kill a man that may well be innocent.  This is where Hamlets reluctance stems from.  Whether or not to believe in a ghost is by no means an unreasonable struggle. Even in this day and age the debate on whether the super natural exist is very existent and often explored by many. It is estimated that 37 percent of Americans believe in haunted housesand one third of that number believe in ghosts. This brings verification to the idea that the reason for Hamlet to question his beliefs was rational.  In order to bring clarity upon his situation, Hamlet decided to put on a play about his father’s death to see his Uncles reaction. In doing so, Hamlet comes to the conclusion that his uncle Claudius is in fact guilty.

Later in scene 3, Hamlet comes across his uncle praying in the church. This would prove as an ample time for Hamlet to seek revenge on Claudius. However, Hamlet delays further in thinking Claudius's soul will go straight to heaven if he was to kill him whilst he was praying. "Now might I do it pat, now he is praying; and now I'll do't. And so he goes to heaven; and so am I revenged. That would be scann'd: a villain kills my father; and for that, I, his sole son, do this same villain send to heaven.(3.3.1)" This is a prime example of Hamlets self-reflection on his views and beliefs. Hamlet is trying to depict the right actions to take regarding his views that have stemmed from his education, his beliefs and how he feels toward his Uncle. This struggle inside Hamlets head is a prime example of the lessons to always follow your instincts and what you believe in. Shakespeare’s depiction of Hamlets struggles and delays allows us to learn the importance of thinking about our actions before acting upon something that questions our morals. This tale of Hamlets struggle is very relatable to our lives today. In every persons lives they will face decisions and challenges that will cause them to question their own personal values and morals. These decisions come with consequences that can lead to huge learning curves in ones life. The picture that I attached below is a depiction of the thoughts and emotions that come along with the big decisions we face in life.

http://my-milieu.blogspot.ca/