Posted by Grey Pilgrim on March 10, 1999 at 22:36:09:
In Reply to: Hamlet as an antagonist!?! posted by Kyle on May 01, 1998 at 16:29:41:
: As I was recently studying "Hamlet" I thought,"If
: Hamlet would have gone back to Wittenberg no one would
: have died, right?" Could Hamlet be his own antagonist?
: How? I would welcome any comments.
: Thank You,
: Kyle
A lot of strange people tripping over the web.
Hamlet is, of course, his own antagonist--the nature
of a tragedy dictates that Hamlet must pursue his
tragic end. Hamlet's main concerns are with himself--
Claudius only provides a backdrop for Hamlet's psychological
problems. Therefore, it is not Claudius or any other
who stands in the way of Hamlet's ultimate goal (revenge),
but Hamlet himself, who knows his course of action
and yet cannot bring himself to act upon it. This
against-self problem is rampant,even in our world today.
Those who cry that someone cannot be their own antagonist
have not lived long enough to discover that you're mostly
your own worst enemy.