Melancholy and hamlet
In the play Hamlet, written by William Shakespeare, Hamlet is greatly affected in his thoughts andhis actions by his ever changing state of melancholy. Melancholia is a medical term categorized by extremedepression, apathy, and withdrawal. Hamlet gives in to this illness and throughout the play he shows severalcharacteristics of it. Hamlet being so self-centered steers him away from performing the vigorous duties he has beenchosen to do by the ghost of his father and also himself. Hamlet develops a wariness of family and companions thatkeeps him from incriminating himself and destroying his plans for revenge. In the end, it is Hamlet's perseveranceand determination that keeps him focused on his plan and gives him a relentlessness with which he pursues his goal. The conduct of Hamlet causes him to become the exact definition of melancholy, as defined by the medical field over The time in which Shakespeare lived and wrote this play was a time where the medical professionwas just beginning. The people depended on ancient theories and practices that are no longer used in the medicalfield today. It was believed that black bile was a fluid found in the body. Any pe
Hamlet is after all, an educated man. Hamlet has become obsessive aboutpreserving the memory and integrity of the former king. He wants to achieve his goal of catching "theconscience of the king" (II, ii, 548). When Hamlet says, "Were you not sent for? Is it tour own inclining? Is it free visitation? Come, come, deal justlywith me," (II,ii, 256-8) he is demanding an answer from his friends as to their unexplained arrival. He ponders the consequences of the task then he questions his very ownposition on the issue. He refuses to perform his given duty without firstquestioning each area of the task at hand. Biggest of all is the death of his father, after which he sinks into a great depression that traps his mind and spiritfor the rest of the play. rson with an excess amount of bloodor fluids was believed to be in the state of melancholy. All of these symptoms apply to Hamletduring the course of the play. Hamlet is the last person in the kingdom to continuemourning for his father, and shows his sadness by dressing only in "nighted color" (I, ii, 68). Hamlet, the protagonist in the play, suffers from melancholia, to which most of his actions can becredited to. Hamlet has once again forgotten everything he was concerned with and is nowonly interested in one small part of his life. His continuosintrospection as to how he is thinking, behaving, and feeling at any given time keep him from acting swiftly on thecommands given to him by the ghost of his father. Hamlet then becomes deeply absorbed in different emotions and moods that arecurrently affecting him, such as the rage of his father's death followed by the happy occasion of the players' visit tothe castle.
Common topics in this essay:
Shakespeare Hamlet,
Melancholy Hamlet,
play hamlet,
father hamlet,
melancholy hamlet,
ghost father hamlet,
black bile,
ghost father,
medical field,
hamlet's constant,
melancholic nature,
iv iv,
|
Acceptance Essays
