In William Shakespeare's play, Hamlet, the concept of cultural identity is explored through Hamlet's isolation, which is created by the conflict between his duty to his father and his duties to the monarchy and society. Hamlet is isolated from his society due to his troubled emotions stemming from his uncertainty of how to react to his father's murder. Hamlet's duty as a son is to avenge his father's death. Hamlet's duty as a citizen and a Prince is to protect the King and to ensure stability in the monarchy. For Hamlet to avenge his father, would be for him to kill the King, creating a conflict between his duties. As a result, Hamlet has difficulties decided which of his duties is more important and instead decides to gather evidence proving Claudius's guilt so the his revenge would be justifiable to society and himself. The "wrongness" of murdering a king who is also a relative makes the conflict and indecision of Hamlet more understandable.
             Hamlet's duty as a son, based on his social status and circumstances, encourages him to seek revenge for his murdered father. For Hamlet to be looked upon as a noble and worthy son, would require him to kill his father's murderer. His actions would only be approved by society as long as the murderer was thought to be guilty. In Hamlet's first soliloquy after the encounter with the ghost in the beginning, when the ghost tells him he must seek revenge, Hamlet quickly accepts his duty as a son. Hamlet seems to decide that he will "wipe away" all of his memories of his "youth" and all "past pressures" so that the ghost's "commandment" to seek revenge would be his only focuse, without the distraction of "baser matter". At this point, Hamlet's duty as a son is clearly shown as he accepts the ghost's words, due to perhaps fear or loyalty, and he appears to decide ...