Character Analysis: Hamlet

1. "Seems,” madam? Nay, it is. I know not “seems.” 'Tis not alone my inky cloak, good mother, Nor customary suits of solemn black, Nor windy suspiration of forced breath, No, nor the fruitful river in the eye, Nor the dejected 'havior of the visage, Together with all forms, moods, shapes of grief, That can denote me truly. These indeed “seem,” For they are actions that a man might play. But I have that within which passeth show, These but the trappings and the suits of woe." (I.2.76-86)

Hamlet is explaining to his mother that with all his different physical acts of grief that he shows, whether its dressing in black, crying continually, etc. he will never be able to tell her or show her the terrible pain that roars on inside him. It is unable to be shown. This shows the basis of Hamlet's actions for everything that he does in the remainder of the play. Though he does eventually become very angry and revengeful, the center of it all is his sadness of the death of his father.

2. Yes, by heaven! O most pernicious woman! O villain, villain, smiling, damnèd villain! My tables!—Meet it is I set it down that one may smile, and smile, and be a villain. At least I’m sure it may be so in Denmark. (writes) So, uncle, there you are. Now to my word." (I.5.104-109)

Hamlet has been struggling with how to deal with the death of his father. He has been depressed and sadness has overtaken him. However, the ghost of his father tells Hamlet to take revenge on his (Young Hamlet's) uncle, the King, for the death of his father, because Claudius killed Hamlet's father. This is a huge turning point for Hamlet in the play and also for the plot in the play. Everything begins to become dark in the remainder of the book.

3. "Observe mine uncle. If his occulted guilt Do not itself unkennel in one speech, It is a damnèd ghost that we have seen, And my imaginations are as foul as Vulcan's stithy." (III.2.80-84)

This shows the tremendous trust that Hamlet has in his dear friend Horatio, who seems to be the only person Hamlet really trusts.

4. "A man may fish with the worm that hath eat of a king, and eat of the fish that hath fed of that worm." (IV.3.27-28)

Hamlet is now beginning to attack his uncle with verbal abuse. He tells his uncle that even though he is a king, he is still as low as a worm and he should be thought of as that. Hamlet, whether insane or sane, is dealing with his grief now through anger and hate towards his uncle.

5. "Alas, poor Yorick! I knew him, Horatio, a fellow of infinite jest, of most excellent fancy. He hath borne me on his back a thousand times, and now, how abhorred in my imagination it is! My gorge rises at it. Here hung those lips that I have kissed I know not how oft. —Where be your gibes now? Your gambols? Your songs? Your flashes of merriment that were wont to set the table on a roar? Not one now to mock your own grinning? Quite chapfallen? Now get you to my lady’s chamber and tell her, let her paint an inch thick, to this favor she must come. Make her laugh at that.—Prithee, Horatio, tell me one thing." (V.1.185-195)

Hamlet sees the skull of his once good friend and fellow jester, Yorick, in the graveyard where Ophelia is being buried. Hamlet begins to realize the frailty of life and its brevity. Hamlet's whole mindset on death is now much more intensified and it now has much more value to him. Life is not just fun to him now, it is serious and short, and he wants to make the most of it.