Human Essence Manifestations Through the Eyes of Hamlet

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Human Essence through the Eyes of Hamlet
Shakespeare wrote “The Tragedy of Hamlet” between 1599 and 1602. The setting of the tragedy is Denmark and depicts how Hamlet revenges against Claudius, his uncle, for murdering Hamlet’s father to seize power and inherit Hamlet’s mother as his wife. Shakespeare shapes Hamlet to succinctly bring out the idea of human essence.
Human essence manifests in different ways. It entails how people search for meaning, face morality, and deal with loneliness, relationships, and limitations of freedom. It also involves how our lives are affected by economics and politics, and how we see the world. Shakespeare shapes Hamlet to deal with such broad philosophical themes (Nalisnick and Baird n.p.). In Act 3 Scene 1, Hamlet addresses one of the most fundamental questions regarding human essence; morality: should one live and bear with struggles or would they better distance themselves or commit suicide?
Hamlet is obsessed with anger, grief, and his planning for revenge has robbed him of joy. His condition and that of Denmark are deplorable. Eventually, he opts to live so that he can revenge against his uncle. Although his choice to live is only motivated by the desire to revenge, at least he faces the condition instead of committing suicide. This is a noble route he takes that shows human essence and choosing life over death despite the conditions.
“Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer. The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, Or take arms against a sea of troubles, And by opposing, end them.” (Act 3 Scene 3, 57-59).
Hamlet chooses life begrudgingly to expose Claudius and considers it wiser to death unfortunate conditions instead of ending them, implying to ignore or avoid them altogether by committing suicide (Cantor 20). Shakespeare shapes Hamlet to show human essence by showing that despite facing challenges in life just like humans do, he chooses life. He succinctly brings out the theme of morality regarding suicide amidst life challenges.
Shakespeare starts shaping the character of Hamlet right from Act 1, Scene 5 where his internal dilemma is set. This is when the ghosts of Hamlet’s father appear to him and instruct him to revenge for his father’s “most unnatural murder and foul” (Cantor 30). From this point on, Hamlet struggles with the dilemma of whether or not to carry out the revenge by killing his uncle, Claudius, and also the most convenient time to do it. As the play advances, Hamlet passes the available opportunity to ki...