Why Hamlet is Relevant to Today's Teenagers

             Though William Shakespeare's drama Hamlet is one of his longest plays, it is also one of his least engaging ones. Due to its lack of action, it's perplexing why high school seniors, like myself, would find this play entertaining and enlightening. Since today's teenagers only interest themselves in the latest action packed movie or violent video game, it seems evident that Hamlet would not hold their attention for an extensive amount of time. Yet, Hamlet's ethical dilemma makes his character relatable to college-bound seniors and therefore keeps them entertained with the classical revenge drama.
             When Hamlet learns that his father, King Hamlet, is killed by his uncle, Claudius, to attain the throne, Hamlet is pressured to take revenge on the new King. However, Hamlet continually delays his revenge because he is a man of great moral integrity. Murdering his uncle would be forcing him to commit an act that goes against his deepest principles, therefore leaving him in a struggle between ethics and loyalty. Similarly, in today's highly competitive college admissions process, it may be tempting for me to include a club or team that I do not belong to or an award that I did not receive, in my college applications if it means I will have a better chance of being accepted into my first choice college. Or perhaps the already corrupt college system will pressure me to let my eyes drift during a test if it there is a chance that it will affect my class rank or transcript, two important factors in the college admissions decision. It is this that makes Hamlet's struggle all too familiar to a high school senior. Hamlet is still significant in today's society because Hamlet's character endures as an object of universal identification due to his moral dilemma. This dilemma transcends the Elizabethan period, making him a man people have been able to identify with throughout the ages.
             Hamlet's delay in killing his uncle is affected by many emotiona...

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Why Hamlet is Relevant to Today's Teenagers. (1969, December 31). In MegaEssays.com. Retrieved 03:51, March 29, 2024, from https://www.megaessays.com/viewpaper/15880.html