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Key themes/Ideas/Symbols in Hamlet
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Hamlet/Protagonist
Hamlet/Protagonist
Hamlet is the central character. Hamlet is in the midst of an internal crisis when we meet him.
He is depressed, disgusted by his mother's remarriage, and enraged by his uncle's usurpation of Denmark's throne. Under these circumstances, the Ghost appears to provide Hamlet with exactly what he requires: an excuse to punish his mother and assassinate his uncle, thus avenging his father.
Hamlet, on the other hand, is unable to act. He is torn between killing Claudius and not killing him. He wonders if he has enough motivation to commit murder, and if he can even justify murder in the first place. He also doubts the veracity of the Ghost's story.
Action
Action
The theme of action is directly related to the theme of certainty. How can reasonable, effective, and purposeful action be taken? In Hamlet, rational considerations, such as the need for certainty, are influenced not only by emotional, ethical, and psychological factors, but also by rational considerations. Hamlet appears to be sceptical of the idea that it is even possible to act in a controlled, purposeful manner.
When he acts, he prefers to act rashly, recklessly, and violently. The other characters obviously think about "action" in the abstract much less than Hamlet does, and thus are less concerned about the possibility of acting effectively.
The Nation As A Diseased Body
The Nation As A Diseased Body
Everything in Hamlet is linked, including the royal family's well-being and the health of the state as a whole. The early scenes of the play explore the anxiety and dread that surrounds the transfer of power from one ruler to the next.
Throughout the play, characters make explicit links between a ruler's moral legitimacy and the health of the nation. Denmark is frequently described as a physical body afflicted by Claudius and Gertrude's moral corruption, and many observers interpret the ghost's presence as a supernatural omen indicating that "[s]omething is rotten in the state of Denmark."
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