Procrastination_in_Hamlet

Hamlet essay Procrastination is one of Hamlet’s most notable characteristics. It is an attribute that is both to be admired and scorned. Hamlet seeks revenge for his father’s murder by Claudius. He waits a long time from the revelation by the ghost of what happened to get his revenge – he goes over every action in his mind, looking at every detail from every possible angle. Hamlet has the perfect opportunity to take revenge while Claudius is at prayer. Yet he will not murder him while he is purging his soul! If he is going to do this he feels he should do it correctly leading him to further procrastination. He doesn’t want to kill Claudius while he is asking for forgiveness because his soul will go to heaven, rather than to hell where the soul of a murderer should go. This is a negative side of Hamlet’s procrastination. He misses the only real opportunity to exact his revenge and attain his goal. By his procrastination the unnecessary deaths of Polonius, Ophelia, Gertrude and Laertes occur – and even Hamlet himself dies. , So, Hamlet does delay but only to wait until the right moment comes. This is what’s behind his “procrastination” in the church. Until he has the proof, he must be patient. This patience is the positive side of Hamlet’s so-called procrastination. He is held back from being impulsive. His words in church, then, are not at an excuse for delay when he says that he must wait for the right moment to kill Claudius, an act that “has no relish of salvation in’t”. So Hamlet speaks to himself in attempt to force himself not to use violence, but to be patient. So, instead of showing a flaw in the church, Hamlet shows virtue, his prudent patience. He is now absolutely determined in his plan and all of his actions are directed towards one accomplishment - to justly punish the one who murdered his father. One reason for the procrastination is that for a long time Hamlet couldn't decide if the Ghost was really his father or some sort of evil force, if it was "a spirit of health or a goblin damn'd." If the latter, it could get Hamlet in real trouble, encouraging him to commit the dreadful crime of regicide for no good reason. Once he sees Claudius’s reaction at the play, he appears to be convinced that the Ghost is to be trusted. After the Ghost appears, he ignores the fears of his friends, is strong enough to break off their restraining hold, and follows the ghostly apparition. In the Queen’s closet he follows his impulse and puts his sword to action. In the battle with the pirate ship, he manages to win over the whole crew without anyone’s help. He is known in the kingdom as a brilliant fencer, and shows his skill in the match with Laertes, after which he is able to cut the king and take the glass of poison from Horatio’s hand, all that while dying of deadly poison. In seeking tangible evidence of Claudius’ guilt, Hamlet shows commendable probity and diligence rather than procrastination. One of Hamlet’s most admirable attributes is his intelligence. Even though he uses his gift to plan the devious act of revenge, his very intelligence leads him to question every action, to examine the choices open to him and to look at the at the consequences of every option. This can be seen as a fault of Hamlet’s, but because he does it so skilfully, it enhances the plot and makes the play considerably more interesting to study. Act IV places a special emphasis on Hamlet's intelligence. In scene two, Hamlet is very insolent and rude towards Rosencrantz and Guildenstern with such phrases as, "That I can keep your counsel and not, mine own. Beside, to be demanded of a sponge, what replication should be made by the son of a king'" (IV, ii, 12-14) The reference to the sponge shows us that Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are easily ordered by the king and do not have minds of their own. Hamlet does not like Rosencrantz and Guildenstern because they are servants of Claudius. We, the readers, do not like Rosencrantz and Guildenstern either which causes us to side with Hamlet. Another incident of Hamlet's high intelligence is shown when he tells Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, "I am glad of it: a knavish sleeps in a foolish ear." (IV, ii,24-25) This statement leaves Rosencrantz and Guildenstern more or less confused. Hamlet is clearly more clever than the two of them combined and is able to toy with them. Hamlet has an excellent command of the language and because of it, can use words to the point that those around him will not understand and may label him as crazy. When others think him mad, Jhamlet uses this to his own advantage. Hamlet shows another example of his cleverness, this time towards Claudius, when he says, "I see a cherub that sees them. But, come; for England! Farewell, dear mother." (IV, iii, 49-50) The cherub, or the angel, gives Hamlet a sense of superiority over Claudius. Having an angel at one's side would be a definite sign of power, which is exactly what Hamlet tries to maintain over Claudius in their constant power struggle. Just when Claudius thinks he control Hamlet, it is really Hamlet who has the upper hand over Claudius.