Christine Tirman

Mr. Leogrand Period 1&2 (January Graduate)

Critique: Hamlet

William Shakespeare’s tragedy Hamlet has been one of the most controversial works of all time. There have been so many criticisms on this book and opinions on what the main theme behind the play is. Many themes have been proposed such as revenge, sex, reality and jealousy. I myself believe that there is no one theme behind Hamlet and it is a complex with work with many complex ideas behind it. I didn’t realize this until I read the criticisms and saw how things I interpreted so plainly was interpreted many different ways by others who had read the play.

“ Gatorade’s sexuality, which is uncontrolled and powerful, is a major aspect of the play. Hamlet can not have Gertrude and this leads Hamlet to have powerful and uncontrollable feelings of maternal malevolence. It is him mothers quick remarriage to Claudius that galls Hamlet the most” (Bradly, 40)

“Frailty thy name is woman – A little month, or ere those shoes were old With which she followed my poor fathers body Like Niobe, all tears, why she, even she – O God, a beast that wants discourse of reason Would have mourned longer –married with my uncle, My fathers brother, but no more like my father Than I to hercules. Within a month, Ere yet the salt of most unrightous tears Had left the flushing in her galled eyes, She married. O, most wicked speed, to post With such dexterity to incestuous sheets. It is not, nor it cannot come to good. But break my heart, for I must hold my tongue”.

I personally think that that live has more to do with Hamlets anger with his mother for marrying so soon than with his jealousy and his own love for his mother. I had also interpreted it as saying that his mother’s tears were false, or she would have mourned much longer, and not married his father’s brother. “It is a generally accepted view nowadays that Gertrude must have felt a tremendous attachment to Claudious”. (Rose, 61)

“Nor sense to ecstasy was ever so thralled But it reseved some quatity of choice To serve in such a difference”

I took that to mean the opposite of what the critic was saying, that Gertrude was never really in love with Claudius.

“Hamlet does it not, Hamlet denies it. Who does it then? His madness. If’t be so, Hamlet is of the faction that is wronged.

“For Hamlets “madness” was but the reflection of the villa which he found himself surrounded, of which Claudious was the most prolific source”. ( Kitto, 87) Although most people do believe that Hamlet was crazy, I do not agree. I could understand the feeling that he felt going through the play and although he did some strange things, people do when under that type of stress.

As you can see, certain statements in this play can be interpreted in many different ways. I have found reading over criticisms very interesting and it helped me see a whole new side and perspective of Hamlet and his motives. I hope that I have provided a good overview to the criticisms on Hamlet and provided some of my own views on the play.

Word Count: 545