WhydidHamletdelayhisrevenge_

JournalofShaanxiNormalUniversity(PhilosophyandSocialSciencesEdition)Oct.,2004Vol.33Sup.

TheContradictorySidesof

Hamlet’sCharacter

王宏霞

(西北电业职工大学基础部,陕西西安7100)

Abstract:ThisthesisisdevotedtothediscussionofthecontradictoryaspectsinHamlet’scharacterandtheanalysisovertheformingofallthesecontradictions.ItdrawstheconclusionthatthecontradictionsareduetothecatastrophethatfallsuponHamlet,hisinexperiencetocopewithitandhisexcessivelyspeculativemind,whichputhiminastateofmiserablemelancholyandleadtohistragedy.

Keywords:contradictions;inexperience;excessivereflection;melancholyCLCnumber:I561　DocumentCode:A　Article:1672-4283(2004)Sup.-0429-04收稿日期:2004-03-26

),女,陕西西安市人,西北电业职工大学基础部外语教研室讲师。作者简介:王宏霞(1967—

　　TheTragedyofHamlet,PrinceofDenmark

isoneof

thefourmostfamoustragediesof

Shakespeare,andHamletistheprotagonistinit.Throughoutthewholeplay,wecaneasilyseethecontradictorysidesofhischaracter.Ontheonehand,Hamletisintelligent,brave,prudentandkind2hearted;ontheotherhand,heistimid,careless,andsometimesevenalittlebitcruel.Nowlet’shavealookoverthesecontradictions.

ThecontradictionsinHamlet’scharacterA.Braveaswellastimid

HamletisthePrinceofDenmark.Heenjoysahighsocialpositionandisrespectedbyhispeople.YeteversinceheiscalledbackfromtheuniversitytotheDanishcourtbythenewsofhisfather’ssuddendeath,heisinvolvedinthedepthofmiseryandthearduoustaskofavenging.Hismiseryisdeepenedbyhismother’shastymarriagetohisuncle,thepresentkingandthesuspectedkillerofhis

father.

Life

has

suddenly

become

so

complicatedandchallengingforHamlet.

Youngandinexperiencedasheis,Hamlet’sstrongcharacterenableshimtostandfirmunder

suchadifficulty.Feelingisolatedandlonely,heremainscalm,usinghisintelligencetocontendwithhisuncle’srepeatedpersecutions,provingtohimselfhisuncle’scrimesandfinallycarryingouttherevenge,thoughatthecostofhisownlife.Throughouttheplay,wecanseethatHamletis

“neitherafrailandweak2mindedyouthnora

thought2sickdreamer”;onthecontrary,heis

[1](P85)

“fearlessandimpetuousinaction”.

His

rushesaftertheghost,killsPolonius,dealswiththeKing’scommissionontheship,boardthepirateship,jumpsintothegraveofOpheliaoutofhonestloveandexecuteshisfinalrevengeduringtheduelwithLaertes.Heappearsinsensibletothefearofanyordinarykind.

Yet

in

the

play,

Hamlet’s

delay

and

hesitationsincarryingouthistaskofrevengeisalsoobvious.Heevenappearstobeshrinkingandslowsometimes.HehasseveralgoodchancestokillClaudius

but

hejust

letsthem

slip

by.

Sometimes,whenhefailstomakegooduseofachance,hehastofindsomeexcusesforhisinactiontocomforthisguiltyconscience.Forinstance,on

429

hiswaytohismother’schamberwhentheplay2showends,hemeetstheKingpraying,hecouldhavedrawnouthisswordandkilledhimonthespot.

Ifhisdelaysofarisduetothelackof

heneedsandheshouldhavetaken

evidenceofthepresentKing’scrime,nowhehasgotwhat

wearsmourningdressandappearsdepressedathermother’smarriage.Whenhismotheraskshimtoexchangehisclothesand“looklikeafriendonDenmark”,hesays,

togetherwithallforms,moods,shapesofgrief

thatcandemotemetruly.Theseindeedseem,fortheyareactionsthatamanplay,ButIhavethatwithinwhichpassethshow;thesebutthetrappingsandthesuitsofwoe.Thewords“play,”and“trappingsandsuitsofwoe”indicatehissuspicionofthecauseofhisfather’sdeath.

KnowingclearlythatheisundertheclosewatchbytheKingandhisfollowers,hespeaksouttheKing’scrimeinhismother’schamber,

Amurdererandavillain,

AslavethatisnottwentiethpartthetitheOfyourprecedentlord,aviceofkings,Acutpurseoftheempireandtherule,ThatfromashelfthepreciousdiademstoleAndputitinhispocket.Fortunately,theeavesdropperPloniusiskilledbymistake.ButHamlethasmadeabigmistake.Thoughhismotherpromisestokeepwhathesaysasecret,hisrashmovementleadstothedeathofOpheliaandtheKing’sanotherplotagainsthim,thatis,theduelwithLaertesattheendoftheplay.

Whenthekingsuggeststhat

Hamletplay

fencingwithLaertes,Hamletbecomescarelessagain.Heshouldhaveknownwhatconspiracyisinit,especiallyaftersomanyincidents,buthefailstogiveanyconsiderationtoitandagreesatonce.Asaresult,threemorepersons,excludingtheKing,dieintheend.

C.KindaswellasCruel

Beforethecatastrophefallsuponhim,Hamletisthefavoriteofthepeople.Everyoneshowshimrespect.Hehasbeencharminglyfrank,courteousandkindlytoeveryone,ofwhateverrank,whomhelikedordisliked.

Buthismelancholycausedbythedeathofhisfatherandthearduoustaskofrevengemakeshimsometimeshardandcynicalaswell.

Hismotherremainsignorantofthemurderofhisfather,eitherbeforethedeedorafterit.Wecanclearlyseethisintheplay.Therepresentationofthemurderintheplay2scenedoesnotmoveher;

immediateaction.ButhefailsagainonthepretextthathemightsendtheKingtoheavenifhekillshimthenbecausethe

Kingisprayingatthat

moment.Oftenhereproacheshimselfbitterlyfortheneglectofhisduty.Heevenaskshimselfingenuinebewilderment,”WhatshouldsuchfellowsasIdocrawlingbetweenearthandheaven?””DoIlinger?Canthecausebecowardice?WhatisitthatmakesmesitidlewhenIfeelitisshamefultodoso,and

when

Ihave

cause,and

will,

and

strength,andmeanstoact?”WhyintheworlddidnotHamletobeytheGhostatonce,andsavesevenofthoseeightlives?IfhehadbeenLaertesorFortinbras,hewouldhaveaccomplishedhistaskinaday.

[2](P91)

B.Carefulaswellascareless

Inthedepthofsuchmisery,Hamletremainscalmandactscautiouslyforthemostofthetime.Insteadoftakingrashactions,hethinksthingsoverandoveragain.Heisperplexedbyseveralquestions:Iswhathisfather’sghostsaystrue?Howcanheascertainit?Ifitistrue,hisuncle,themurdererofhisfather,mustbesuspiciousofhimandbeonguardagainsthim.Sohowcanhetaketherevenge?

Tofindoutthetruth,hearrangestheplay2showandtriestodetectthe

King’sreactions

duringtheplay;toprotecthimselffromtheKing’spersecution,hefeignsmadnessandhedoessowellthatevenhismother,thequeen,hisgirlfriendOpheliaandOphelia’sfatherPoloniusareallmadetobelievethathehasreallygoneoutofhismind.WhentheKingtellshimtogotoEngland,heimmediatelyrealizestheschemeunderit,ashesaystohismother,

Theybearthemandate.Theymustseepmyway

Andmarshalmetoknavery.…

ButIwilldelveoneyardbelowtheirminesAndblowthematthemoon.

Nevertheless,despiteallhiseffortstobecareful,Hamletsometimesturnsouttobecarelessorevenrash.Atthebeginningoftheplay,Hamlet430

intheinterviewwithHamlet,whenHamletsaysofhisslaughterofPolonius,

Abloodydeed?Almostasbad,goodmotherAskillakingandmarrywithhisbrother.Sheisastonished.Herrepetition“Askillaking?”isevidentlygenuine.Besides,theQueenisnotabad2heartedwoman,notatallthewomantothinklittleofmurder.Butshehasasoftanimalnature,andisverydullandveryshallow.Shelovestobehappyandshefeelsitpleasanttosituponherthroneandseesmilingfacesroundher.Thoughshedoesn’tobeyHamletinbreakingoffthemostintimateconnectionwiththeKing,shedoesfeelremorse.SheloveshersonandthusgivesafalseaccountofdeathofPoloniustotheKing.Atthefencingscene,sheisdisturbedandfullofsympathyforherson.Whensheispoisonedandfallsdying,theKingtriestomakeoutthatsheismerelyswooningatthesightofblood,shecollectsherenergytodenyitandwarnHamlet,

No,no,thedrink,thedrink—OmydearHamlet—

Thedrink,thedrink—Iampoisoned.Fromallthese,wecanseeshedeeplyloveshersonHamletandhopeseverythinggoeswellwithhim.Butinherchamber,Hamletspeaksdaggersather,ashehimselfnamesit,“towringherheart”,

Suchanact

thatblursthegraceandblushofmodesty,callsvirtuehypocrite,takesofftherosefromthefairforeheadofaninnocentloveandsetsablisterthere,makesmarriagevowsAsfalseasdicers’oaths.

Despiteherbegginghimnottospeaktoherinthatway,andtellshimthat

hiswordshave

enteredherearslikedaggers,hestillcontinuestopouroutwhatmightbethemostinsultingandhumiliatingwordsshehaseverheardinherlife,Nay,buttolive

intheranksweatofanenseamedbed,stewedincorruption,honeyingandmakinglove

overthenastysty.Finally,hismotheristorturedtosuchadegreethatsheutters,OhHamlet,thouhastcleftmyheartintwain.

HamletisalsotoohardinhiswordstoOpheliaintheprearranged

meetingbythe

Kingand

Polonius.ThoughOpheliaobeysherfathernotto

receiveHamlet’svisitsandlettersanymore,andshejoinsinaplottowinHamlet’ssecret,OpheliaistoonearherchildhoodandtooinexperiencedtounderstandHamlet’smind.

Moreover,shehas

giventoHamletalltheloveofwhichhernatureisasyetcapable.HamletshouldhavetakenOpheliaasaninnocentandbeautifulgirl,andsospeakgentlyandwithreverence,buthedoesn’t.stormsatherandevencursesher,

Ifthoudostmarry,I’llgivetheethisplagueforthydowry:bethouaschasteasice,aspureassnow,thoushaltnotescapecalumny.Gettheetoanunnery,go.

Farewell.

Orif

thouwilt

needToa

marry,marryafool,forwisemenknowwellenoughwhatmonstersyoumakeofthem.nunnerygo,andquicklytoo.Farewell…

Godhathgivenyouonefaceandyoumakeyourselfanother.

Youjig,youamble,andyou

lisp,younicknameGod’screature,andmakeyourwantonnessignorance.Ofcourse,hiscrueltytoOpheliaispartlyduetohismisunderstandingofOphelia,partlyforcedonhimandpartlyfeigned.Butitisstilltoohardforpeopletojustifythisdisgusting,insultinggrossnessofhislanguagetoOphelia.

WhenHamletkillsPoloniusbymistake,hesays,“Thoufarewell.

wretched,

rash,intrudingfool,

Takethynothing

deserves

Itooktheeforthybetter.

Polonious

He

fortune.”Possibly

betterthanthewordsaddressedtohiscorpse,yetheisOphelia’sfather,andwhateverhedeserves,itpainsustohearsuchinsensiblewordsfromHamlet.

Analysisofsuchancharacter

Fromtheabovediscussion,wecanseethecontradictionsinHamlet’scharacter.Itmightbedifficultforustounderstanditatfirst.Butifwelook

deep

into

Hamlet’s

life

before

the

catastrophe,thetaskhisdeadfatheraskshimtofulfill,hisperiloussituationincarryingoutthetaskandhisspeculativemind,wecansurelygettheanswertoit.

Whentheplayopens,Hamlethasreachedtheageofthirtyyears,andhehasreceivedcultureofeverykindexceptcultureofactivelife.“Duringthereignofthestrong2willedelderHamlet,therewasnocalltoactionforhismeditativeson.Hehasslippedonintoyearsoffullmanhood,stillahaunter

of

the

university,

a

student

431

of

philosophies,anamateurinart,apondereronthethingsoflifeanddeath,whohasneverformeda

[3](P132—133)

resolutionorexecutedadeed”.

cowardlythroughoutthewholeplay.Hardnessandcynicismareindeednotpartofhisnature,butyet,inthiscrisisofhislife,hisbroodinggloommakesthemindubitablypresentinHamlet’sCharacter.Despiteofhisfather’swarningnottohurthismother,hestill

hurtsherbadly.

Though

he

explainstohismotherattheendoftheinterview,

Sowhenheiscalledbackfromtheuniversityafterhisfather’sdeath,thecrisisofhislifecomesonhimattheonemomentwhenhecannotmeetit.HehasageneralintentiontoobeytheGhost,buthisconsciencesecretlycondemnsthisact.

HeisHe

restrainedbyconscienceoramoralscruple.

“Imustbecruelonlytobekind”,hiswordstohis

motherarestilltooharshtobeappropriate.HelovesOpheliatrulyandOpheliaissuchapureandinnocentgirl,hestillstormsather.Thoughheisprudentmostofthetime,heistooinexperiencedtoremaincalmatthetimeofemergency.Theeviloftheworldandtheanguishofconsciousfailurehavefinallyinducedasoulsopureandnobleintothestateofbeingdisturbedandstained.profoundlytragic.

Conlusion

Inshort,therearesomecontradictionsinHamlet’sCharacter.Heisbraveaswellastimid,carefulaswellascareless,kindaswellascruel.Themainbythe

reasonforhe

theformingofmeets,

such

a

characterisHamlet’smelancholy,whichiscaused

catastrophe

hisexcessively

reflectivemindandhisinexperienceinlife.

Thisis

couldnotsatisfyhimselfthatitisrighttoavengehisfather,thusdelaystherevengeagainandagain.WhentheGhostappearstohimthesecondtime,speaksofhispurposebeingalmostbluntedandbidshimnottoforget,heaccuseshimselfofbeingtardyandlapsedintime.

Hecouldn’t

understandwhyhedelaysandthisstingshimintoshame.[2](P106)Heisthrownintothemiserablestateofmelancholy,whichturnsouttobethecenterofhistragedy.

Moreover,hethinkshemustbecautiousineverymovement,asanyrashpushmightendangerhislifeandspoiltherevenge.However,Hamletappears

too

cautious.

His

habit

of

excessivereflectionovereveryactioncomesintofullplay.Heisanxiousthathisactofvengeanceshouldnotbemisconstrued,andwouldnever

have

been

contenttoleaveawoundednamebehindhim.Hishighestgift,thatis,hisreflectivemind,insteadofhelpinghim,conspirestoparalyzehim.Heisputinaconditionofexcessivementalactivity,actuallyoneofacting.

Asaresult,theenergyofresolveisdissipatedinanendlessbroodingonthedeedrequired.Hishesitationanddelaysmakeshim,somehow,appear

dull,

apathetic,

brooding

gloom.

His

calculatingconsiderationcripples

hispowerof

[参　考　文　献]

[1]LiuBingshan.AShortHistoryofEnglishLiterature

[M].

Shanghai:

Shanghai

Foreign

Language

EducationalPress,1991.

[2]Bradley,A.C.“Hamlet”,ShakespeareanTragedy

[M].London:MacmillianPressLTD,1993.

[3]Dowden,Edward.Shakespeare:ACriticalStudyof

HisMindandArt[M].NewDehli:VedamsLTD,

1996.

[责任编辑　蒋万胜]

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