Hamlet History Of Criticism

Introduction

Hamlet is arguably the utmost spectacular feature ever created. From the instant we meet the crestfallen prince we are enraptured by his elegant intensity. Shrouded in his inky cloak, Hamlet is a man of radical contradictions he is reckless yet careful, courteous yet uncivil, tender yet ferocious. He meets his father's death with consuming annoy and righteous indignation, yet displays no compunction when he himself is responsible for the deaths of the meddling Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, and the pontificating lord chamberlain, Polonius. He uses the fragile and blameless Ophelia as an outlet for his abhorrence in the direction of the ruler, and will not comprehend that his own vicious phrases have caused her insanity. Hamlet is full of faults. But how is it that even apparently negative qualities such as indecisiveness, hastiness, despise, brutality, and obsession can enhance Hamlet's place as a tragic champion; a 'prince amidst men'? To response these inquiries we should excursion with Hamlet from beginning to end, and examine the many facets of his feature.

Critism

Upon the feature of Hamlet depends the interest of the play of Hamlet. Take the phrase feature in anything sense one will--the psychological or the mechanically dramatic--it is one that will not be left out of the play. To Goethe it was clear that Shakespeare intended to exhibit the effect of the sense of a large obligation imposed upon a soul incapable to present it: an oak tree is sown in a ceramic vase, correct only to receive the most dainty flowers; the origins strike out, and the vase soars to pieces. A untainted, noble, highly lesson disposition, but without the energy of soul which constitutes the champion, moves under under a load which it can neither support neither conclusion to abandon. All his obligations are sacred to him, but this alone is above his powers (Zimmermann,55).

An impossibility is needed at his hands--not an impossibility in itself, but that which is so to him. And Wilhelm Meister points out accordingly how the Prince of Denmark turns, moves, advances, and recedes; how he is constantly recalling himself of his great charge, which he regardless in the end appears almost solely to misplace view of, and this without recovering his previous tranquility. La préponderance de la pensée et de la parole sur l'action, et, dispense tout dire d'un mot, la faiblesse, voilà le fond du caractère d'Hamlet, tel que Shakspeare l'a conçu. So composed, and lectured,M. Saint-Marc Girardin. But, surely, urges Hartley Coleridge against too unquestioning acceptance of Goethe's outlook, perhaps too indiscriminately followed by foreign critics--surely, feebleness of brain, the fragility of a china vase, need of power and power, are not the characteristics of Hamlet. So far from it, he is represented as fearless, almost above the strength of humanity: he does not set his life at a pin's fee(Werstine,67): he converses, unshaken, with what the stoutest warriors have trembled to think upon, jests with a visitant from darkness, and gathers unwonted vigour from the pangs of ...