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Examples Of Narcissism In Hamlet

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Hamlet: To Think or Act? That is the Question.

In Shakespeare’s play, Hamlet, Hamlet, a studious young man and Prince of Denmark, struggles to face the death of his father and the task to kill his father’s murderer, Claudius. He was once known as a charming, smart young man before his father’s death. However, Hamlet experiences depression and anger at the world, causing him to look outwardly on society but failing to look inwardly on himself. The death of his father and the task for vengeance leads him to question whether or not he should follow through in killing Claudius. He becomes a man of thought rather than a man of action. In addition, the delay of King Claudius’ murder leads the readers to believe that he wishes not to kill him; he …show more content…

His narcissism leads him to impose two standards: one for himself and one for society. However, he believes that his standards are higher and that he believes that society should meet his standards. In addition, he looks down on the faults of friends and family rather than recognizing he has them himself. His morals are just as lacking as everyone around him. When he speaks to Ophelia in (III.v.105-123), he says, “That if you be honest and fair, your honesty should admit no discourse to your beauty. Ay, truly, for the power of beauty will sooner transform honesty from what it is to a bawd than the force of honesty can translate beauty into his likeness. This was sometime a paradox, but now the time gives it proof. I did love you once.You should not have believed me, for virtue cannot so inoculate our old stock but we shall relish of it. I loved you not. Get thee to a nunnery.” Hamlet criticizes her of lying and being dishonest when in reality he’s the one being dishonest about his sanity; he is also telling her that he never loved her and telling her to become a nun where she will cause less damage to society. His actions towards the people he so-called ‘loves’ leads him to become morally unfit. His self-regard for himself and his ties to his madness both point him towards a down spiral of moral ambiguity. His rashness and quick to judge reflects on how he chooses the wrong …show more content…

Laertes plots for vengeance due to Hamlet killing his father and second-handedly killing his sister, Ophelia. Hamlet, who is still a self-absorbed narcissist, is beyond clueless to Laertes intentions for fighting. In the end, Hamlet is cut with the poisonous sword, Laertes is stabbed with the poisonous sword, Gertrude drinks from the poisonous cup, and King Claudius finally gets what he deserves after Hamlet, as he’s dying, stabs him and forces him to drink the poison. Hamlet, who suffered through a road of vengeance, finally kills Claudius at the last possible second. All of Hamlet’s family and friends die because of his inability to be a man of action and a man of thought at the times when they are opportune. His delay of killing Claudius led him to become invested in his own issues and become the domino effect for the death of others. His moral ambiguity is questioned even at the end of the play because he killed Claudius at the last possible second. In Shakespeare’s tragedies, like Hamlet, Hamlet desire for vengeance ultimately corrupts the morals and decisions he makes further affecting the people around him as he is so self-involved. Hamlet’s morals suffer because he never once looked within himself to understand where he went wrong. Hamlet’s moral ambiguity creates this significance to the play by emphasizing the fact that

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