Hamlet In My Eyes | Teen Ink

Hamlet In My Eyes

March 7, 2021
By millychen79 BRONZE, Weston, Massachusetts
millychen79 BRONZE, Weston, Massachusetts
2 articles 0 photos 0 comments

Before I read “Hamlet” I have heard the saying, “to a thousand readers, there are a thousand Hamlets.” This statement expresses the idea that every reader will have their own thoughts about Hamlet. This literary work has distinct interpretations in different people's eyes. To me, this book shows how self-doubt can destroy a person.

“Hamlet” is the first tragedy written by Shakespeare that is believed to have been published between 1601 and 1603. The book has transformed into various versions of theater plays and it’s one of the most well-known plays that has been created.  It’s written in an early time, so it is written in ancient English. As an international student who isn’t a native speaker, l found it challenging to read some of the content due to the advanced vocabulary and the specific form of English. However, after getting through a significant portion of the book, l realized why it has the reputation it does, as I felt Hamlet is a relatable character, even though we have greatly different experiences.

The book begins with the ghost of the king who comes to Hamlet and plans to murder to him. The genre can be categorized as a revenge play, because after research, it does not correspond with the necessary elements of a tragedy. It includes sorrowful events, a hero’s avenge, and scenes of death. The ending has an adequately miserable atmosphere and drags the audience into the play’s intense emotions. Claudius and Laertes plan to kill Hamlet during a fencing match. However, Hamlet and Laertes both are fatally poisoned during the match. Hamlet kills Claudius before he himself dies. Some readers might feel unsatisfied with the ending because it contradicts classic fairy tales, where the protagonists always survive. However, l would consider one of the reasons that Hamlet became famous is the fact that audiences remember tragedy. Life isn’t always joyful, and just people don’t certainly always have a positive outcome even if they deserve it. This same outcome is applied to the concept of love as described in the book “Romeo and Juliet”. I suppose that if the book resulted in them happily ending up together, it probably wouldn’t have such an impact, which is why this book has gained fame throughout history.

“Hamlet” doesn’t give readers a clear solution regarding the problems he faces, including the vague ending that makes me unsure about what is in his mind before he dies. This book demonstrates that, to an extent, there are not absolute answers to life's most daunting questions. As a matter of fact, Hamlet's world consists of perpetual ambiguity. An example of this is when he tries to figure out whether to avenge his father’s death. Until the ending, I am unclear whether Hamlet’s resolves his issues of self-doubt and feels that he made a moral decision.

From my view of perspective, Hamlet represents people in society and the normal struggle of uncertainty. This is demonstrated by his doubts about seeking revenge. Throughout the book, Hamlet struggles with uncertainty. Shakespeare demonstrates the importance in finding our own solutions to unfavorable situations.


The author's comments:

Hamlet is a famous play by Shakespeare and it is interesting that the character Hamlet varies when different people read it. In my opinion, Hamlet shows the uncertainty in the face of challenge. Furthermore, he represents the normal struggle in society when Hamlet tries to figure out if to avenge his father's death or not. For some readers who are curious about how Hamlet solves the problems he encounters, this is unexpected because the book does not make it clear, including the ambiguous ending, leaving the audience unsure of what Hamlet is thinking.


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