Essay, Research Paper: Hamlet's Alienation Of Characters

In Hamlet, Shakespeare depicts alienation among the younger characters. Trusting no one, Claudius, the new king, and Polonius send out spies to obtain information from others to assure Claudius's rule of Denmark runs smoothly. Claudius killed Old Hamlet for the rule of Denmark and he fears that Hamlet might know of the murder. Both Claudius and Polonius spy on Hamlet to find out if he knows of the murder. Polonius sends his daughter, Ophelia, out to also gain information. Hamlet begins going mad and people claim that the cause is from the death of his father. Truly, though, Hamlet knows of the murder. But Claudius and Polonius are not the only ones, Gertrude, the queen, blames Ophelia for Hamlet's madness. Polonius's lack of trust in Laertes forces him to send Reynoldo to follow Laertes to France and spy on him. Shakespeare presents alienation of Hamlet, Ophelia, and Laertes resulting from a lack of trust from elders and the deception present in the royal family.
While Claudius and Polonius spy on Hamlet, Hamlet loses all of his hopes and happiness. The problems began with the Claudius murdering Old Hamlet and taking over the rightful throne of Hamlet. Procrastination prevents Hamlet from avenging Old Hamlet's death and only causes more problems for the entire family in the end. With the kind of problems he possesses, he has no one to turn to for help. Even his friends, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, are sent to spy on him. Hamlet cannot speak of the murder because of its confidentiality and spies he might not know of. With no one to turn to, the thought of suicide crosses his mind as a solution on several occasions: "I am myself indifferent honest, but yet I could accuse me of such things that it were better my mother had not borne me" (Shakespeare 146). Hamlet feels incapable of overcoming his procrastination to avenge his father's death due to the overwhelming problems that keep occurring. Having no parents to talk to about his problems, only aggravates the situation. Critic Paul Canter writes, "The fundamental fact in Hamlet is the hero's (Hamlet's) inability to cope with the ambivalence of his feelings towards his parents" (24). This suggests that Hamlet could not talk to his mother, Claudius, Polonius, or Ophelia about his plot to kill Claudius. Furthermore, Hamlet feels that "Denmark's a prison" (Shakespeare 112) and he can speak to no one, as if he were a prisoner. Not having the allowance of talking to others for help constricts the feelings and problems inside. Without the freedom of acting how he wishes only causes prolonging the plot of murdering Claudius.
Ophelia experiences alienation throughout Hamlet, although she ends her life with suicide, unlike Hamlet. The queen places blame on Ophelia for Hamlet's madness and states: "...for your part, Ophelia, I do wish that your good beauties be the happy cause for Hamlet's madness..." (Shakespeare 140). The queen lightens her feelings of guilt for the murder and places the guilt upon Ophelia. Gertrude, the queen, knows that she has committed something wrong with the plot of killing Old Hamlet and therefore finds an outlet through Ophelia. Also, to try to discover Hamlet's cause of insanity, Claudius and Polonius use Ophelia to get closer to him and find out that perhaps they could conclude that his madness is due to love. One of Polonius's plans is described when "...at such a time I'll loose my daughter to him (Hamlet). Be you (King) and I behind an arras then. Mark the encounter..." (Shakespeare 106). Feeling such a heavy burden from the people, Ophelia could only resolve everything through suicide. From the blaming and spying, Ophelia suffers alienation throughout Hamlet.
Polonius' distrust in Laertes results in Polonius' sending Reynoldo to France to spy on Laertes. Reynoldo reports information back to Polonius about Laertes and what he is doing. By stating: "...your bait of falsehood takes this carp of truth... by indirections find directions out. So by my former lecture and advice we shall you my son" (Shakespeare 90), Polonius reveals the lack of trust he has in Laertes. Therefore, by spying, Polonius alienates Laertes.
Hamlet, Ophelia, and Laertes all suffer character alienation throughout Shakespeare's play, Hamlet. Claudius and Polonius spy on Hamlet and Laertes to maintain a safe rule of Denmark for Claudius. The queen also blames Ophelia for Hamlet's mental instability. As a result of the alienation of each, Hamlet, Ophelia, and Laertes, meet a tragic end.