English Literature Homework - Hamlet Act 1 and 2
Comments on tragedy and Hamlet's character

Hamlet goes through several stages in the first two acts. First of all, we see grief and disappointment. The death of his father and the fact that he is mourning alone, because his mother married again to his uncle not long after, has affected him as a person. His soliloquies often reflect these feelings. We find out that Hamlet has a lover, Ophelia, but we do not really get to see the romantic side of him, we only hear Ophelia's version of their love, which is quite interesting in a way because it leads on to the second act where he puts on a 'mad' act and lets Ophelia witness it first. Ophelia ignored Hamlet on her father's orders and I get the feeling that Hamlet lacks trust amongst the people around him. Finding out about his uncle's treachery to his father most probably affected his thoughts about everyone else around him. He cannot trust anyone again, not even the girl he has proposed his love to. He doesn't share his plan with Ophelia and leaves her confused and with only herself to blame for Hamlet's 'transformation'.

Hamlet calls himself a 'coward' because he hasn't killed Claudius, his uncle, straight away after finding out that he murdered his father. His dilemma is a big one, that he has to think about his mother's feelings and not rush into anything. He also has to prove that what the Ghost said was true. He wants to get revenge but he has to go the long way about it, which frustrates him and makes him feel like he hasn't progressed at all.

Tragedy, in the modern sense, is conveyed through the death of Hamlet's father. The loss of his father is a tragedy not only because his own brother killed him but because Hamlet is left mourning his loss alone and he is also alone in succeeding in getting revenge for his father. Arguably, another tragedy within the first two acts is that Hamlet has lost his mother too. Death might not be the case here but Hamlet probably wanted to mourn with her but instead she moved on with none other than his father's own brother and his murderer nonetheless. Also, tragedy is conveyed through Ophelia and Hamlet. The lack of trust between them shows and the fact that Ophelia didn't fight for their love with her father also shows weakness, leaving their relationship torn and leaving Hamlet with no choice but to act mad around her too instead of sharing his plans with her, in fear that she will obey her father to spy on him.