Mayowa David

Ms. Hunniset

English 30-1

june 19, 2017

Honor and Certainty

When an uncertain individual seeks certainty in a world where he believes honor has been disregarded, he feels angered and tired as he attempts to grasp an understanding of the oblique nature of how others scope with grief. This I shown in the book Hamlet, By Shakespeare. The main character Prince Hamlet, who is left in a melancholy state after his father’s death, seeks for a reason to live after all seem dead to him. This was his state until one night when his father’s ghost seeks for him and tells him how he was murdered and how he has to seek vengeance towards his death. This gave prince Hamlet a purpose and also a way to gain certainty and honor back into his life by murdering thee who murdered his father. We first see Prince hamlet taking action after his father’s ghost had appeared to him, then later we see him speak to himself in a soliquoy about finding certainty on how his mother could marry his uncle right after his father’s death, then finally at the end we see him become enlightened and finally understand everything in life and the only one true certainty in life which is death.

 

When a frustrated individual is pushed to the limit of his endurance, he is likely to dismiss how his actions or thoughts may be perceived by others if It means he may find a purpose to pursue. In Act 1, Scene 2 from lines 129-159 hamlets gives a speech to himself in a soliquoy, which he insults his mother and call her a “whore” for marrying his uncle less than a month after his father’s death. In this soliquoy we see how much respect and honor hamlet had for his father and how his uncle was no match, and would never be able to replace him or be a fit enough king. It signifies how hamlet does try to regain his honor and certainty but those around him especially family keep coming in the way and make it feel like they are against him. In this soliquoy, hamlet creates a tone of betrayal and anger towards his mother, on how she only pretended to love his father, and how when he dies she quickly runs into the arms of his uncle which leaves him to question and find the real truth, the certainty behind why his mother would do such a thing. When an individual such as hamlet sees his mother as a “whore”, it signifies how he has lost his honor and respect for her, which then blocks hamlet from regaining his back, because his mindset has been changed by the actions of those around him especially his mother one who he used to envy and respect. He sees his mother as one of the main obstacles blocking him from gaining his honor and certainty.

 

When a defeated individual fails to see value in his or her current circumstances, one will turn the intensity of those emotions into a fueled hatred against the world. Initially in the beginning of the book hamlet had lost all certainty and honor after his father had died, he felt alone and couldn’t tell the difference from truth and a lie, he was alone. This all changed when Horatio his best friend had told him of the ghost who lurks at night and bears a resemblance to his father the late King Hamlet. This beginning portion of the play signified a lot as it showed us Prince Hamlet’s suicidal nature, and the unfairness of how the world has treated him so far. When Hamlet heard the news of the ghost he saw it as a second chance, it gave him a purpose to live something he had been searching for after his father’s death. He believes if he meets with the ghost of his father, it will help him understand more and give him a purpose and quest to regain back his lost honor and certainty. When a melancholy individual such as hamlet is giving an opportunity, to come back to life and regain his honor he burst into any chance he has, for without honor and certainty one does not know the true meaning to life and will eventually live an empty life. He was once glorified by his people, and was treated with respect, but after his father’s death and his overextended grief he feels like it is all starting to slip away from him and the whole world is against him.

 

When a naïve and lost individual is exposed to the truth of life, an eternal force from within thyself, allows that individual to become enlightened and have a larger knowledge into the meaning of life. Finally In Act 5, Scene 1 Hamlets talking to a grave digger as he prepares a grave for someone. Initially the joke about death but hamlet switches and becomes serious when he realizes one of the bones belonged to his close friend. This was the most significant part of the whole book as we see hamlet finally getting a deeper understanding towards life and gaining the certainty he worked for.  While talking to the grave digger he realize that no matter who you are, how rich or the amount of honor you have we are all equal. Death comes to all at some point so why aim so high to achieve honor and certainty when you are just going to die anyways and be forgotten. This is one of the time when Hamlet really becomes enlightened and is able to be certain about one thing which is death, and the only one certain thing in life is death, death is the only certainty. He questions himself whether or not killing his uncle will help regain his honor and certainty and help give vengeance for his father. He becomes in deep conflict with himself questioning whether the way he acted, his madness was the best way to go forth in his quest for his honor and certainty.

 

In the book Hamlet, By Shakespeare, The main character Prince Hamlet, who is left in a melancholy state after his father’s death, seeks for a reason to live after all seem dead to him. This was his state until one night when his father’s ghost seeks for him and tells him how he was murdered and how he has to seek vengeance towards his death. This gave prince Hamlet a purpose and also a way to gain certainty and honor back into his life by murdering thee who murdered his father. This embarks Hamlet on a quest to seek vengeance for his father’s killer, Claudius who is his uncle, and on this quest he hopes to regain some sort of understanding and purpose to why he should live and not rot away and die. When an uncertain individual seeks certainty in a world where he believes honor has been disregarded, he feels angered and tired as he attempts to grasp an understanding of the oblique nature of how others scope with grief.