Text: Hamlet's monologue
Task: Write a textual analysis

HAMLET'S CHARACTERIZATION

Hamlet is going through an inner conflict which makes him unable to react. As a matter of fact he wants to take revenge on his father's death. At t the same time, he is afraid to hurt his mother who now has a close relationship with Claudius, Hamlet's uncle.

We believe that his difficulty in making the right choice is not a problem of indecision, but it's his weakness and fear. He is a weak man because he keeps talking about his troubles, his hard life, his unhappiness but he can't or doesn't have the strength to find a solution. Hamlet is also afraid of the unknown, that is why he hasn't got the courage to commit suicide.

He spends his days moaning about his creepy life, he seems to be weary of it and he often uses the verb "to sleep" while refering to death.

In conclusion we can say that Hamlet's personality expresses his weakness but also his human nature that can be summed up in the famous words "To be or not to be". The words are synonyms of "death". The first "to be"implies one's living, while "not to be" means living without knowing that is to be physically alive but far away from your mind. If you are not mentally conscious, you are not able to express your thoughts.

Death is the final result of mind and body. Hamlet can't pour out the troubles that torment him and so he gives vent to his feelings through anger.

Hamlet takes his decisions but only afterthinking a lot because he knows that if he makes a mistake he will be "punished" with death and he is scared of it as the world after life is unknown to him.

HAMLET'S RELATIONSHIP WITH HIS MOTHER

Hamlet is very fond of his mother: the relationship between the two is still strong even if the Queen's marriage to Claudius has somehow disappointed Hamlet.

As a matter of fact the Queen has become Claudius' wife soon after her husband's death and that is something  Hamlet can't forgive her. He thinks that, being the Queen his mother, she should have shown more respect towards the King and towards her people. He is convinced that she ought to be more determined in her choices and demonstrate more authority and power.

Hamlet is tormented by doubts: he would like to kill his uncle to take revenge on his father's death but, at the same time, he realizes that his mother and Claudius are really in love and happy together and so he doesn't want to spoil the relationship.

The Queen's behaviour has changed Hamlet's idea of women. Now he is obsessed with the thought that all women are evil, yet when Ophelia dies, he is really sad because only in this moment he knows how much he loved her.