Hamlet

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Hamlet
PSYCHOLOGICAL PROFILE
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Revenge is the main topic throughout the play.
Hamlet is trying to avenge the death of his
father. King Claudius killed his father and was
having an affair with his mother. Hamlet believes
that Claudius must suffer for what he has done.
Hamlet needs everything to be perfect when he
kills Claudius and it ends up taking him a very
long time before he is even able to gain the
courage to complete the act.
May sweep to my revenge - 1,5,31
While trying to avenge his fathers death Hamlet
kills Polonius believing that it was Claudius he
was killing. Once Laertes finds out what Hamlet
has done he makes it his mission to avenge the
death of his father Polonius. Laertes has to be
the one to kill Hamlet so that he can truly
avenge his fathers death.
REVENGE
The rather, if you could devise it so that I
might be the organ - 4,7,70-71
When it comes to the death of a loved one, most
people will do anything to make sure that the one
who hurt them will suffer.
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Hamlets motivation came from the death of his
father. Once Hamlet found out the reason for his
fathers death it set off a trigger in his head.
Knowing that Claudius is the reason that his
father is dead Hamlet new that Claudius must
suffer. When Hamlet saw the ghost of his father
and was able to talk to him he knew that he must
follow through with the ghosts wishes which was
to kill Claudius.
Motivation
Now might I do it pat, now he is praying and
now Ill dot and so he goes to heaven and so
am I revenged - 3,3,74-76
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Hamlet had many sides to him. When we were first
introduced to Hamlet he appeared as a very kind
and caring man. He was really distraught about
the death of his father and was still grieving
when his mother married Claudius. At first Hamlet
was not very upset with his mother for marrying
Claudius, he still loved her. After seeing the
ghost of his father and hearing about what had
been going on with Claudius and his mother Hamlet
lost all respect for his mother. He was
determined to avenge his fathers death and kill
Claudius. This became Hamlets main role in the
play. Throughout the play Hamlet was trying to
make the perfect move and kill Claudius in a way
where he could not save himself from hell. It
took Hamlet a very long time before he was able
to gain the courage and kill Claudius, which was
when he was dying because of Claudiuss plan.
Hamlet's Role
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Family Relationships
King Claudius was Hamlets uncle. He also was his
new step father after the death of his biological
father. Hamlet obviously did not like the fact
that Claudius was now the king of Denmark and
that his mother wanted him to think of Claudius
as his father. Hamlet hates Claudius once he
finds out what Claudius had done to his father.
Hamlet plans to kill Claudius because of what he
had done, which was killing king Hamlet. Hamlet
believed that Claudius could never compare to his
father, he would never be as good as king like he
was.
Hamlet and his mother had a very good
relationship at the beginning of the play. Hamlet
truly cared for his mother and loved her dearly.
Once Hamlet found out that his mother and
Claudius were having an affair while his father
was still alive he lost all respect for her. He
thinks that she deserves to suffer alone.
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His One and Only...
Ophelia was the love of Hamlets life. Throughout
the play we wonder if Hamlet truly loves Ophelia
or if its just an act, but it becomes obvious
that he really did care deeply for her. Hamlet
enjoyed giving her tokens of his love. When
Hamlet finds out the truth behind his fathers
death he begins treating Ophelia very badly, he
tells her that he did not care for and that he
never did love her. Ophelia is hurt by Hamlets
words. Once she commits suicide Hamlet feels
terrible because he really did love her and she
died believing that he never did.
I did love you once - 3,1,115
I loved you not -3,1,118-119
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Relationships
Polonius was Ophelias father. He was set out to
stop the relationship between Hamlet and Ophelia.
He believed that Hamlet did not truly love
Ophelia and convinced her to stop talking with
Hamlet. Polonius set out to figure out why Hamlet
had been acting unusual because he believed it
was because he was in love with Ophelia and when
she stopped speaking with him he went crazy.
Hamlet murdered Polonius but only because he was
hiding behind a curtain and Hamlet thought that
he was Claudius.
Do you believe his tenders, as you call
them? - 1,3, 103
Hamlet and Laertes did not have a friendship.
Laertes was Ophelias brother and he never
trusted Hamlet. Just like his father he believed
that Hamlet was just using Ophelia and did not
truly love her. Hamlet had always been jealous of
Laertes because he was the better swordsman. When
Laertes finds out that Hamlet is responsible for
the death of his father he wants to be the one to
kill Hamlet. Laertes and Claudius come up with a
plan to kill Hamlet. Once Hamlet and Laertes are
dying from the poison Laertes wants them to
forgive each other and die with no hatred for one
another.
Exchange forgiveness with me, noble
Hamlet. -5,2,321
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The Best Friends...
Hamlet trusts Horatio the most throughout the
play. He believes that Horatio is the only one
that has not tried to betray him. Horatio also
was the one who told Hamlet about the ghost of
his father. Hamlet trusts Horatio tremendously
that he even reveals his plan to kill Claudius to
him. Horatio and Hamlet work together to figure
out the best way to attack the situation.
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern were very good
friends of Hamlet. They were brought to Denmark
to spy on Hamlet and to figure out why he had
been acting unusual. They really did not feel
comfortable with the request to spy on Hamlet
because they were Hamlets friends. In the end
they had to spy on Hamlet because they couldnt
say no the the king and queen of Denmark. Hamlet
new right away that something was up when
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern came to
Denmark.Hamlet was able to get them to convince
to him why they were really there by telling them
that if they really did love him they would be
honest.
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Hamlet's Thoughts
Hamlet had many different thoughts going through
his head throughout the entire play. He was very
upset when we were first introduced him because
of the death of his father. He is very angry with
Claudius because he finds out that he is
responsible for the death of his father and that
it was no accident, it was actually murder.
Hamlet decides that he needs to act crazy so that
no one will expect him to be avenging his fathers
death, this way they will all just believe that
he is still grieving. Hamlet also becomes very
upset over the death of Ophelia because she
killed herself because her father was murdered,
her brother was off in England and the man she
loved and who she believed loved her treated her
terribly and told her he did not love her.
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Hamlet's Passions...
Hamlets passions in his life were his family and
his friends, even though everyone he cared for
deeply ended up betraying him. Hamlet also
enjoyed sword fighting even though he was not the
best which upset him that he was not the best. He
loved Ophelia and loved giving her presents to
prove his love to her. He enjoyed plays but only
by the best actors.
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Hamlet's Direction In Life
The obvious first thought to what Hamlet would be
doing in the future is to be king. Hamlet adored
his father and probably would want to take over
what he had left behind. If Hamlets father never
died, Hamlet probably would have ended up king
when his father passed and most likely would have
married Ophelia. Now with the death of his father
running through his head there is no clear
direction to which Hamlets life is going.
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Balancing in Hamlet's Life
It appears to me that family is what keeps
Hamlets life balanced and that is why he becomes
a wreck when his father dies and his mother
remarries to his uncle. He is big on family and
loves his mother dearly until he finds out that
she had been having an affair before the death of
his father. His father was a role model to him
and having him not around makes Hamlet lost.
Unlawful things unbalance Hamlets life such as
murder and infidelity.
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Many Masks of Hamlet
Hamlet developed a couple of personalities in
order to make people believe that he is crazy.
Hamlet needs people to believe that he is crazy
so no one will expect him to conjure up a plan to
kill Claudius. Hamlet use to be a very nice well
mannered man but he soon changes into a rude
inconsiderate person. On the inside Hamlet is not
as mean as he acts to be. He pretends he doesnt
know certain people and does not make any sense
in their conversations. Hamlet certainly knows
what he is doing and is aware of the people he is
hurting.
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Lets Get Personal
A personal choice I have made in my life that
relates to Hamlet is that I have had to choose
weather or not to forgive a family member when
they have done something that disturbed me
terribly. Growing up as a child when your mother
is an alcoholic is a common thing in todays
society yet still very hard on the people
involved in the situation. You grow up loving
this person because they are your family and that
is what you are suppose to do when your family,
but then you get to a point in your life where
you feel you cant love this person that treats
you the way that they do. If they loved you
wouldnt they want to stop doing what is hurting
you? Even though they try to change and stop,
their two week recoveries start getting old when
they are a recurring process. Its hard when you
get to the point in your life with this person
and you realize that you do not have love for
your own mother anymore. You think that maybe if
they do change for good you will begin to love
them again. The question is can people truly
change?