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Through the course of time people and organizations have tried to justify killing as a way to end troubles in there lives and in the world. The people or organization who carry out the orders to kill may know deep down that it is wrong to take another human life but instilled on to them is a since of justification for what they have to do. No civilized culture of the world believes that unjustified killing is right, but if there is a way to justify the taking of another life to avenge or to save others then society will sometimes agree with the decisions made by the people in power. The United States government formed a weapon that they knew would take thousands of lives, but save millions in the long run.
Two of these weapons were dropped on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki to end a war that would probably still be waged today if the bombs were not dropped. On the evil side of this argument Adolf Hitler believed he had a problem that could be answered with murder, although Hitlers so called final solution to the Jewish Problem was not justified, even though he found a way to convince a large number of people in his radical regime that this was not only the way out but that it was gods way. Shakespeare's Hamlet shows the main character young prince Hamlet needing a morally right way to kill the new king Claudius and avenge his fathers murder, so Hamlet turns to madness to carry out his murderous wishes without being held accountable. To prove my statement that Hamlet is acting insane you have to look at the other side of the argument. There are critics in the world, past and present who have said prince Hamlet is truly insane. T.
S. Elliot put it best when describing those critics, he said They knew less about psychology than more recent Hamlet critics. (Twentieth Century Interpretation of Hamlet pg 22. ). I believe that when T. S. Elliot says psychology he does not mean psychological problems but he is talking about mind games, or you could go as far as to call it psychological warfare, that prince Hamlet is playing with the rest of the cast in the play.
In my own opinion Hamlet is an expert at these sort of mind game, he can truly convince the characters that he is insane and that he means to do them harm. This quote from Ophelia to Polonius shows she is truly terrified of hamlet O my lord, my lord I have been so af frightened. (Hamlet 2. 2. 85. ). This statement comes after he visits with her after seeing his fathers ghost. Hearing the terror in Ophelias voice Polonius commands Ophelia to break correspondence with a obviously mad prince Hamlet, he doesnt want her to ever see or talk to Hamlet again Ophelia replies I did repel his letters and denied his access to me. (Hamlet 2. 2. 121 - 122. ) This Quote shows how persistent Hamlet is to show Ophelia he is insane he is using her as a tool in his great show of madness so that she will get the word out to the rest of the cast that prince Hamlet is truly insane. There is one un disputable fact in the entire play that is not argued by Hamlet critics and that is that prince Hamlet is a very intellectual individual he is well educated obviously because he is of noble birth. With education one may possess a talent or ability to look outside a problem and see there may be humor in the actions and comments of those who are confused at what a person does or says but the person speaking is making perfectly logical sense to themselves.
The talent that I am discussing and prince Hamlet possesses is sarcasm. There are many examples of prince Hamlets sarcasm throughout the play one of which comes in his conversation with Claudius in act one scene two when Claudius as he is celebrating his victory of becoming king he asks prince Hamlet How is it that the clouds still hang on you? (Hamlet 1. 2. 68. ) hearing this prince hamlet is infuriated but being intelligent he does not lash out instead he gives this reply Not so my lord for I am too much in the sun. (Hamlet 1. 2. 69. ) a sarcastic remark with hidden meaning and that is by saying sun prince Hamlet is making a statement that he is feeling pressured by his uncle and new king Claudius to except him as he would his real father. Act two scene two gives the reader another look at Hamlets witty and sarcastic side also his ability to play around with his insanity disguise when prince Hamlet is talking to Polonius before the play which prince Hamlet has titled himself the Mouse Trap and helped produce to try and find a trace of guilt in Claudius face. As prince Hamlet begins his conversation with Polonius, Polonius asks Do you know me my lord? (Hamlet 2. 2. 189. ). Hamlet replies Excellent well you are a fishmonger (Hamlet 2. 2. 190). With no research the ordinary reader could mistake this comment for merely crazy talk but when you investigate the word Fishmonger the Quote makes sense it is a direct insult on Polonius Honesty and a clever way of telling Polonius he is a dishonest man.
This section of the play offers the reader another sign that Hamlet is in fact perfectly sane, and that is his ability to turn his insanity on and off. What I mean is his ability to plan a trap for Claudius such as the play the Mouse Trap and then make rude comments to Polonius and the women of the crowd like when prince Hamlet was speaking to Rosencrantz Hamlet says Then you live about her waist or in the middle of her favors (Hamlet 2. 2. 250 - 251. ) Clearly speaking sexually which was not custom to talk about back in Hamlets days. In the recent paragraph I have sited many specific examples that prove p...
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Research essay sample on T S Elliot Prince Hamlet
