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D Romero
Instructor: Aleksandrova
English 102
November 17, 2013
Hamlet & His Decisions
Did Hamlet live by free will or by fate? Did a greater being decide what would
happen to him or did his decisions affect the outcome of his life? Hamlet began
to make poor choices from the beginning of the play. Hamlet’s decisions can be
blamed for a number of deaths, including his own. This is shown when he
“exhibits both aptitude and zeal in devising and carrying out clever stratagems”
(Hirsh 37).
Hamlet is deeply depressed because of his father’s death. He is stunned to
see that his mother, Gertrude, had already remarried to his Uncle Claudius. The
ghost refers to the marriage as “foul incest” (I.iv.27, 42) Hamlet has a suspicion
that his father was murdered and wants to avenge his father’s death. He is also
upset by the fact that his uncle has crowned himself King of Denmark even
though Hamlet was next in line to be King.
Hamlet’s father’s ghost visits Hamlet at the castle. Hamlet finds out what
Claudius did to his father. The Ghost advises Hamlet to kill Claudius, but to
spare Gertrude. He tells him that fate would have to decide what happens to her.
The Ghost says that he cannot be at peace because he was murdered.
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Hamlet wants to observe what goes on in the castle. Hamlet plans “to put an
antic disposition on” (I.iv.172) so that he can trick Claudius and his minions about
his mental well-being. During this, Hamlet becomes very confused and starts to
question many things. He questions whether or not the ghost is trustworthy.
Hamlet cannot stop thinking about many different side effects from killing
Claudius. He also questions whether the Ghost is evil and is there to lure him.
This is where Hamlet starts to make choices that will affect the outcome of his
life. He is very upset of what has happened especially so soon after his father’s
death. The Ghost convinces Hamlet that he needs to eliminate his Uncle
Claudius. Hamlet chooses to defy Claudius but he does it more discreetly.
