Is Hamlet waiting for the right moment or procrastinating?

Answer 1

You could argue either.

In the scene when Hamlet attempts to kill Claudius but decides against it is the most significant for this question (So I will be referring to it.) The cause could arguably be 3 things: Hamlet's fear, Hamlet's scheming, or Hamlet's procrastination.

Scheming - Hamlet himself says he would rather kill Claudius when he is 'drunk, asleep or in his rage, or in th'incestuous pleasure of his bed' - as Claudius is praying in thie scene, Hamlet could be rationally thinking when it may be better to kill him, in order to send him straight to hell.

Procrastintion - As Hamlet's hamartia (tragic flaw) is his lack of action, the reason for him not killing Claudius in this scene could indeed be Hamlet's procrastination, or 'overthinking' of the situation at hand - if another Shakesperian hero such as Macbeth was placed in the same position as Hamlet, the whole play would be complete in one scene. Instead, Hamlet overanalyses the situation before doubting himself.

Fear - it could be argued that Hamlet doesn't kill Claudius for fear of what may happen afterwards; most importantly, the throne Hamlet must take. This could be an underlying cause of Hamlet's procrastination.

What is obvoius in this scene however is that it is a turning point in the play. If Hamlet had killed Claudius here, Gertrude wouldn't have died, nor Laertes, Ohelia or himself. This proves that Hamlet's lack of action does eventually lead to his downfall.

As Shakespeare does not map out to the audience what is the real cause of Hamlet's lack of action, the reader/viewer must decide for themselves.