Saturday, November 10, 2007

Ponder this...

Hey everybody, sorry if this is kind of late, but here is the question that the presenters would like to ask you. I believe that Mrs. Smith would also like you to respond to this but let me confirm that...yep, that is correct.

After reading Act I and seeing all the emotions that Hamlet has experienced and all of the events that have occurred, why do you think that Hamlet didn't instantly rush off to revenge his father? What was holding him back?

18 comments:

kmckeon said...

I believe that Hamlet did not instantly rush and take revenge on Claudius because he had to process what had just happened. Hamlet just saw his father’s ghost and needed time to think and get used to the fact that his father was murdered by his uncle. I think that he also was holding back because as much as he was angry at his mom for marrying his uncle, he knew that whatever he did to Claudius would hurt his mother. He hates Claudius but he still loves his mom and does not want to get her involved in his plan to seek revenge on Claudius if he chooses to do so.

Samantha E said...

I agree with KC in that Hamlet had to take in everything that had just happened, but also I think he was waiting for a reason. I think Hamlet is waiting to see what his father wants him to do. How his father wants him to do it. Old Hamlet is just as much a part of this murder as Hamlet is. Hamlet cannot go on with out instruction and a plan. That is what he is waiting for.

DanielC said...

I think that Hamlet did not rush to kill Claudius because he was too busy tanking in what was happening and still mourning his fathers death. I think that he didnt want to disrespect his father and give him some more time to reflect on what has happened to his father. also i agree with kmckeon, i think that he doesnt want to ruin his mothers wedding. He is most likely waiting until his mothers wedding

Leigh J said...

I think that is is deeper than just waiting for the wedding because if he cared that much about his mother's happiness he would want her to know the truth about her husband's death.
The real issue that is holding him back is most likely the fact that his murdur would be a sin. While murdering his uncle could release his father from the firey hell he is having to endure and clean him of his sins, it would only add a sin to Hamlet's list. And murder is quite the mark to have on your record.

StevenD said...

I believe that first of all he is in shock about what he just heard, but most of all i believe that he wants to wait until the time is right. I agree with what Samantha and KC have said about how he might be waiting to see about what is father wants to do. Hamlet really respected his father and might not want to rush into anything that his father might disapprove of. About his mother, I don't think that I would go and rush to my mother instantly either, eventhough I want to, because I can't be absolutely sure that she would even believe me. Murder is a serious accusation, especially if your only witness is the ghost of your dead father.

Let's wait and see what happens...

ShainaT said...

I think that Hamlet loves and respects his mother too much to go after Claudius. Even though he is upset that she is not still mourning over Old Hamlets death, he still wants to make her proud and to what she thinks is best.

MilendaN. said...

I think that Hamlet didn't instantly rush off because he is trying to figure out a way to revenge without hurting his mother. Since his mother is the only one that's left in his life he does not want her to get involve and he does not want to harm her or hurt her in any way. So I think Hamlet is taking this step by step because his mother is the one whose holding him back. And when the right time comes the revenge will be more than what we expected it to be.

alliem said...

I think Hamlet choose not to rush off to revenge his father right away for a couple reasons. First, Hamlet was in MAJOR shock. Not only did he see a ghost that took his father's appearance, he found out his father was murdered and by his brother?!?! Also I think Hamlet was taking into consideration his mother and her place in the problem. He didn't want to make any rash decisions. Plus planning a murder takes time if it is done well haha.

Jackie.d said...

I agree with Leigh, because murder is definately a huge sin to be burdened on Hamlet, but I think he will definately go through with it in order to avenge his Father. Hamlet obviously cared and respected his father a great deal, and will kill Claudius in the end I believe. The reason he hasn't rushed off to do it so quickly however, is because he needs time to plan out the murder of the new King. If he just rushes out and kills him, without either a plan or an explanation, then he could get himself into trouble. The people of Denmark trust Claudius now, so Hamlet is going to need a darn good plan to murder the new ruler of their kingdom.

emilyl said...

There are a few reasons Hamlet did not go rushing off to kill Claudius. First, he would have probably had a tough time killing him and getting away without no one catching him. He also still needs time to process this wealth of new information. I feel like there might even be a little more to the story than what we have heard from Old Hamlet, because this is a tragedy, and if Hamlet kills Claudius and everything is grass green and the sun is shining, it's not a tragedy. Finally, Hamlet needs to sit down and think for a while. He needs to ponder his life up until the point he spoke with Old Hamlet, and to think about what he wants to happen next. To murder everyone's new favorite king in a time when war may be at hand would be really difficult. I also think people are going to start saying he is insane, because he will always be plotting and sulking from here on out. Before he ran off to follow the ghost, one of his friends said, "What if the ghost leads you off a cliff, or drives you mad?". I believe this quote is very significant, and am going to pay close attention to see if it is important.

Charliep said...

He cannot rush into revenge on Claudius. First off, he got his information of the murder from a ghost that him and only 2 other people know about. It will be really tough to explain that he killed Claudius because a ghost told him to. He was also just had this thrown at him and he never expected it. Like has been said above, he needs some time to process all that he has just been told. He has more than enough motivation to carry this through so I don't think that will be a problem.I also agree that he has to take into consideration the feelings of his mother, as she is married to Claudius.

ryanb said...

I believe that hamlet does not just rush in to avenge his father because of his mother. Besides the fact that he is still mourning his father's death, Hamlet still loves his mother and though she is in a somewhat incest relationship, it is hard for Hamlet to instantly kill the person who it appears she might have feelings for.

rebeccar said...

In order to properly avenge his father’s death, Hamlet must devise a plan that is both thorough and careful. The main purpose of getting revenge on Claudius is so Denmark’s future will not be in the hands of a liar, murderer, and cheater. In order for Hamlet’s revenge to be successful, it must benefit the state as well, and not just please the ghost. Also, Hamlet could get in serious trouble if he is caught putting the King’s life in danger. People want stability and a strong confidant leader. If Hamlet does not act carefully, the whole plan could backfire. Therefore, his revenge is a very slow and painstaking process.

ryan said...

I believe that the main reason Hamlet doesn't rush off to avenge his father's death is because he is still in shock. After the death of his father, and seeing his mother instantly remarry, i can see Hamlet going one of two ways. Either Hamlet, out of sheer madness from all that had just gone on during his life, would kill his father, or sit back and try to take it all in. Hamlet obviously has chosen option two, letting everything sink in. But I wouldn't doubt a reaction eventually.

Sean N said...

Many heroes in books and movies see ghost that talk to them or have visions of the future. Afterwards, the shock of the event wears off and the hero starts to question what he or she actually saw. Perhaps the reason why Hamlet does not immediately rush of to murder Claudius is that he wonders if the was ghost simply a creation of his own mind under stress. Hamlet doesn't like Claudius and, real or not, the ghost gives him a reason to kill him. So why does he hesitate? Perhaps it is a weakness in his character. Hamlet knows what he has to do but he is afraid to do it. We will see if Hamlets hesitance will help or hinder him in the end.

Emily H. said...

I think there are a few reasons that Hamlet is waiting to seek revenge for his father. First, he needs to do it in a way that is sneaky and well thought out so that he can succeed in his revenge and not be too suspicious. Also he needs to do it in such a way that is smart and serves the purpose, which is to show the truth about the murder.

emilied said...

I think that Hamlet is so over come with emotions at this tome when he discovers this that he needs time to take everything in before making any rash decisions. This can also correlate to the fact that what he has just seen is something incredible that not many people would believe. So he takes the approach to make everyone think he is crazy so that in the end the actions that he will later partake in will fit more to his character

Anonymous said...

After the encounter with the ghost, I think Hamlet, at first, is overwhelmed by the news. I think his mother and her love for Claudius was holding him back. Also, Hamlet could be afraid of murdering Claudius because he could be accused of murder and be killed. People who side with Claudius might think it has to do with jealousy or the crown. Hamlet is waiting because he wants Claudius to admit that he was the one who killed the king.