Hamlet #4 Analysis

            Hamlet’s detracted outlook of life is evidently attributed by Claudius’s absurdity towards him. Hamlet’s father, Claudius, carries out a condescending tone towards his son after Polonius attempts to explain to Claudius the “cause of Hamlet’s lunacy” (II.ii.52). Claudius, in response, remarks, “O, speak of that! That do I long to hear” (II.ii.53) as if he is obligated to assess Hamlet’s behavior. Hamlet’s indifference to the world is made apparent when he replies with, “Into my grave?” (II.ii.225) after Polonius remarks “Will you walk out of the air, my lord?” (II.ii.224). Hamlet’s disdainful response to Polonius’s question raises the question whether or not Hamlet’s absurdist character is a product of the ghost’s influence upon him, or that his absurdist character is attributed by his father’s opposition towards him. Although he wishes to avenge his father’s death, Hamlet rationalizes this by directly correlating the devil to his father’s spirit by stating, “The spirit that I have seen / May be a (devil), and the (devil) hath power / T’assume a pleasing shape” (II.ii.627-629). At this point, Hamlet recognizes the inevitable danger with his father’s speedy marriage change of power to the throne of Denmark. However, he also recognizes the disparity in how the spirit is, in fact, a representation of the devil. This realization causes Hamlet to lose rationality within himself and forces him to remain detached to others along with himself.