Hamlet As A Civilized Person In A

Barbaric World Essay, Research Paper

Hamlet was a person, who was born before his time. Hamlet was civilized before even today s standards. He is a person who demonstrated humanity at its utmost. The combination of this and everyone s cruelty around him would prove to be his fatal tragedy.

Hamlet was a person who believed in honor. He felt that every man was in the end the same. It made no difference how much money a person had or his status, in the end everybody dies and he is nothing but food for maggots and worms. Hamlet said when the King was questioning him about Polonius s death, Not where he eats, but where he is eaten. (L. 19) During the grave scene Hamlet talks about a person who he thinks is honorable, Alexander the Great. Hamlet says Alexander was buried, Alexander returneth to dust; the dust is earth; of the earth we make loam; and why of the loam whereto he was converted might they not stop a beer barrel. (LL. 211,214) Stating that although Alexander was a great person and his honor and stories live on, he is nothing but dirt. Hamlet would not let Horatio commit suicide in the end because Horatio did not believe in suicide and that would put a mark on Horatio s honor. Hamlet said in his dying scene to Horatio Give me the cup. Let go. By heaven. (L. 344) Also Hamlet didn t want Horatio to kill himself so Horatio could pass on Hamlet s story or honor and nobility as Hamlet says Thou livest; report me and my cause aright To the unsatisfied . (LL. 340,341) The barbaric world around Hamlet was very eminent. Claudius, the King who killed Hamlet s father and took Hamlet s mother was selfish. Although he did love Gertrude he did not do much to prevent her from drinking form the poisoned cup. Hamlet s death was caused by dishonor. The character Laertes who Hamlet dueled with fought with a poisoned sword. Hamlet would have never fought with a poisoned sword; he would have fought fair and died with honor.

The tragedy of Hamlet would have still happened even in today s time. Although people think of themselves as a culture of civilized people. The society has to some extend became more of a civilization, we are still barbaric creatures in a technology consumed society. Just like in Hamlet people today have their own agenda. It is obvious in everything from School, Local Government, to Federal Government. Claudius s agenda was to gain the throne, kill Old King Hamlet, and to get the woman he loved thus creating the tragedy of Hamlet. People today are better off than Hamlet s time; still the majority has no code of honor. It is very easy to see all you have to do is open your eyes and understand a little bit of Hamlet. I believe we could learn a great deal from this Shakespearean tragedy and Hamlet s civilized ways in this so-called civilization.

Because Hamlet was a civilized and the rest of the world around him was barbaric, this resulted in his death and the tragedy of loosing his rightful crown and the woman he loved. If Hamlet would have been as cruel as them he could have killed them all, gained his crown and Ophellia would have never died.

In conclusion Hamlets death and tragedy was the product of the barbaric world around him, Hamlet cared for people had honor. Hamlet was born before his time. He was thrown into a world of dishonor, cruelty and evil. Hamlet was quite possibly born before today s time and for some time to come. Hopefully we can learn something from this tragedy to build the society of which a person like Hamlet could exist.