Friday, January 10, 2014

What's Hamlet tragic flaw?

Seeing that we are dealing with one of the most complex characters in all of literature, any answer received here must be ruminated upon, examined, and internally debated.  There will not be "a right answer" here because of the complex nature of the hero.  In my mind, I cannot help but feel that Hamlet's reflective and intellectual nature provides the basis for his tragic condition.  Hamlet thinks, reflects, analyzes, ponders, but this also represents the source of his pain, his melancholy, and his inaction.  While he is extremely intelligent and more perceptive than most in the play, it is this cerebral nature that precludes him from acting, from engagement.  Given his pain ridden composition, this becomes the source of his tragedy, as he can only give articulation to his pain and is unable to do much about it.  When he does engage in action, it is futile, as it does nothing to alleviate his burden and exacerbates it.  The essence of this would be that few could avoid this condition.  Hamlet's thought and analysis is what helps to define his positive traits, qualities that end up becoming the basis for the conditions of tragedy that best him.

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