How does Hamlet change during the course of the play?

Answer 1

It can be argued that towards the end of the play, Hamlet becomes more of a leader; he finally assumes his role as prince right before death, when he proclaims the new King of Denmark to be Fortinbras, who he recognizes as an able candidate immediately. Hamlet also learns to handle important matters for himself and inflicts his ideas of treason upon his government, of Denmark, and also that of England when he decides to command and take responsibility for the death of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern.

Answer 2

The changes in Hamlet's personality are reflected in his changes in costume. At first, there is the Hamlet in the "nighted colour", in mourning for his father and resentful of his mother and uncle. This is Hamlet in Act one. He is passive and reactive, making snarky remarks under his breath and behind the king's back but being sullen and unresponsive in his presence.

After the visit of the Ghost, Hamlet changes. Ophelia describes his costume as "his doublet all unbraced, no hat upon his head, his stockings fouled and down-gyved to his ankle." This is Hamlet of the antic disposition. His pretense of insanity gives him the liberty to sharpen his wit on the various spies which come to sound him out. He becomes more active, arranging for and essentially directing the play The Murder of Gonzago, but he is a perfectionist, and cannot see his way to killing Claudius without the circumstances being just right. He thinks he has got them right but he is wrong--it's Polonius behind the arras and not Claudius.

Then he is sent to England. He discovers that Claudius is not going to wait for the perfect opportunity, but has already made arrangements to have Hamlet killed. He changes again. He arranges for the deaths of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, and when the pirates attack, he takes the opportunity to board their ship, and bribes them to return to Denmark. He arrives on the shores "naked and . . . alone". "Naked" here means that he has only the clothes he stands up in, whatever he can find. Hamlet is now an opportunist. He no longer insists that the conditions be perfect. He will take his opportunity where he finds it. He becomes a fatalist: "There is a special providence in the fall of a sparrow . . . the readiness is all." It is when he reaches this stage in his journey that he can do what he wants to do and needs to do. He expresses his love for Ophelia (too late) and is able to take his revenge on Claudius (almost too late).

Answer 3

Yes!! Hamlet's final appearance in the Act is in scene seven through the device of a letter to the King. I read the tone of this letter as taunting and sarcastic. Expressions like "High and mighty" and "your kingly eyes" seem overly-respectful, leading me to view them as jibes. This letter may therefore be read as reinforcing Hamlet's brand-new rash and openlyrebelliouscharacter.

Answer 4

The play within the play is done by Hamlet to prove or disprove the ghost's story. He wants to see how Claudius reacts to the murder that takes place in the play. This change takes place in act 3, scene 2.

Answer 5

I suppose you are alluding to his soliloquy "How all occasions do inform against me". He certainly upbraids himself for failing to do anything about the ghost's command. But this is not the first time; he did it in Act II when he was calling himself a rogue and peasant slave, and on very much the same pretext. His attitude does not seem much different: he gets on his own case about it, but doesn't know how to arrange things so that he will have the right opportunity. Hamlet's change of attitude seems to come on his voyage to England, where serendipity leads him to find and alter the Orders R+G are carrying, gets him off the boat and onto the pirate ship which leads him back to Denmark. All of this good luck makes him think that there is a special providence in the fall of a sparrow, and good luck will, eventually, give him an opportunity to get his revenge. But of course we do not get to know about this change of attitude until Act V