Hamlet

Compare the hesitation of hamlet with the impatience of Laertes and explain what you think is the best

Reference

Asked by
Last updated by Rienzi R #645588
Answers 2
Add Yours

I'm not sure what you mean by best. If you mean more tragic, I'd have to go with Hamlet's hesitation: his hesitation is his tragic flaw that contributes to the demise of most of the major characters. Laertes is a supporting character. His impatience does help drive the tragedy forward but it is Hamlet's indecision that frames the whole play. Hamlet cannot make a decision without examining and re-examining details that cover morality, humanity, the metaphysical , and his own complicated emotions. In the end, Hamlet's indecision leads to the disaster at the end of the play.

It is a common misconception that Hamlet's procrastination is any different than Laertes. Laertes is full of youthful bluster just as is Hamlet. When Laertes returns from France with his rag tag army, he is bent on killing the king, even getting within a sword point (just like Hamlet) and yet he doesn' kill the king. Even though he later tells Claudius of his desire to kill Hamlet by cutting his throat in the churchyard, he gets his opportunity at Ophelia's grave and again does nothing. When he is to depart for France and at the urging of his father, Laertes finds it necessary to stop and lecture Ophelia, promting Polonius to hurry him along. Of course Polonius, Claudius and even the gravedigger delay those tasks that they specifically have resolved to complete. This is because procrastination, whether it be a fault or a feature, is part of the human condition. It is one of the big questions that the play explores. The human inclination to make a seeming resolute decision only to have it fall apart when it comes to its execution. The play I think establishes convincingly that there is a chasm between resolution and action; the fantasy of a wish or a dream failing in the reality of action.