‘Hamlet’ written by William Shakespeare has been one of the most profound literary texts of all time. However, a few scholars have been torn between identifying the main protagonist in this play as a hero or just a mere character like the others. The main focus of this paper is to give a specific analysis of the defining qualities of a hero. The focus will be on Hamlet who is the main protagonist in the play. How does he become anatomically a hero? Does he have the qualities that can define him a hero? Can he befit the honorable qualities of heroes found in the Bible? This paper will give an up-close and candid approach on Hamlet with specific contrast and comparison to heroes found in the Bible.
First, a hero must be a separate individual from other citizens. A hero must have noble and substantial actions, speech, and exemplary motivational tools as his traits. In the play Hamlet is a noble soldier with admirable qualities but he avenges the death of his father using his free will. He has audacity and courage to have revenge in a society with deceit and corruption. He is met by his father’s ghost to have revenge on the individual who killed his father and face out the corruption in the court. In 1 Samuel 24:10 David as a hero from the Bible does not have the guts to kill King Saul who is seeking David’s life because he has favor from God. David says that “… I will not lift my hand against my master ….” (Lombardo 209). When Hamlet kills Polonius he says that it was an accident and this did not mean that he cruel but Polonius was “an intruding fool” (Shakespeare 33).
As seen in the Bible, Moses is led by the cloud and Hamlet’s father leads him by a ghost. He is very courageous and He is met with trickery in his journeys and retorts that “there is a divinity that shapes our end” (Shakespeare 10). Moses was concerned with social justice hence freed his people from slavery in Egypt. Hamlet on the other hand wants justice and avenges the death of his father. Moses had flaws like anger and speech complications, but he becomes the hero as he rescues his family. He is seen as an organized defender. At times he becomes reluctant to perform his task Exodus 3:11 to Exodus 4:16 (Lombardo 48). Hamlet has many flaws like cruelty but he also religious when he vows that he may not kill Claudius in the prayer room. Here we clearly see how a hero like Moses displays nobleness with courage to meet a hardened Pharaoh’s heart and eventually succeeds in his plan. The plans both sought after by David, Moses and Hamlet are not personal rather, they aim at the whole nation and the good of the society. For example, David as a small boy becomes a hero when he thwarts the giant Philistine with pebbles. On the other hand, Hamlet becomes a valiant soldier who has a fighting spirit and loyal to his parents as David was to God. Hamlet fights internal battles of revenge and rational attitude of staying in Denmark as he promised his mother (Shakespeare 27).
In conclusion, Hamlet can be termed as a flawed hero but he seeks his true course that satisfies his true will that highlights upon other people and not his self interests. Hence, Hamlet is a true hero.
Works Cited
Lombardo, Stephen. The Holy Bible: Revised Standard Edition. New York, NY: Mariner Books, 1993. Print.
Shakespeare, William. Hamlet. New York, NY: Dover Publications, 1956. Print.