Hamlet s Evil Habits

It is said that if you practice something enough times or long enough it will become a habit, and most times become part of the way you live your life. Hamlet is the main character in the play, Hamlet written by William Shakespeare who experiences this event of the mind taking control of the body. Hamlet lets his phony mindset slowly corrupt his brain to become something that he by heart is not. An evil and corrupt man. Hamlet s portrayal of evil leads him to become suspicious of everybody around him, hide his true affection for Ophelia, which ultimately leads to the death and slaughter of everybody in Hamlet s surroundings.

When evil thoughts plague the mind it is expected that people become suspicious of the other people around them. Hamlet s evil charade made him suspicious of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. He wondered why they were so keen on finding out his reasoning behind the play and his ultimate scheme of plans. Hamlet then began to see right through them and grew furious with their attempts to get information from him.

Hamlet: Why, look you now, how unworthy a thing you make of me!

You would play upon me; you would seem to know my stops;

you would pluck out the heart of my mystery; you would

sound me from my lowest note to the top of my compass:

Sblood, do you think that I am easier to be played on than a pipe?

Call me what instrument you will, though you can fret me, yet you

cannot play upon me. (3:2: L354-363)

Later on in the play has them killed in England as a result of his built up anger and evil. Hamlet was also very suspicious that Claudius might try something after the play when Hamlet entered his mother s room. It was too late for whom he suspected was Claudius, was a blood dripping Polonius lying on the floor of Gertrude s room. Hamlet s newfound evil ways caused him to become too jumpy and suspicious of every one in his environment.

To become truly evil, it must be evident in all relationships and seen present in all things that are being done. Hamlet slowly begins to incorporate all signs of evil by rejecting the one who he claims to love. Although Hamlet s evil and hatred is mostly an act, it starts to take over his body and brain as he rejects Ophelia and leads her to madness.

Ophelia [sings]: To-morrow is Saint Valentine s day,

All in the morning betime,

And I a maid at your window,

To be your Valentine.

Then up he rose, and donn d his clothes,

And dupp d the chamber-door;

Let in the maid, that out a maid

Never departed more. (4:5: L47-54)

Ophelia was broken in two when Hamlet pretended to not love her. She was so upset that she began recalling times of when Hamlet rejected her. Hamlet s act of madness made a turn for the worse as it truly affected his love, Ophelia and drove her to madness and then suicide.

Even though you develop habits through constant repetition, sometimes your true self comes out. Although deep inside Hamlet isn t evil his constant practice leads him to death and to finally kill what has caused his madness. Through all the hesitation and procrastination of Hamlet s true self. His evil state of mind overpowered his instincts and gave him the anger to finish what his mind had started.

Hamlet: Here, thou incestuous, murderous, damned

Dane, Drink off this potion. Is thy union here?

Follow my mother.(5:2:L318-320)

Hamlet finally gained the mindset needed to end all his madness, which eventually ended up killing himself too. Hamlet held back his true self to complete what he deeply wanted to accomplish with his evil act.

Constant repetition will surely make things become second nature and a habit to your everyday life. Hamlet s constant act of evil slowly made him become what he was looking to make everyone believe. That he was an insane man with no cause. He lost many friends, and loved ones in the act, but to an ultimately evil person that doesn t matter. To an evil person nothing matters except the evil deeds you commit. Hamlet s true self holds him back from doing what he must do, but when he does he realizes to late that nothing good can come from a constant practice of evil.