Inconsistency in Hamlet Essay -- The Tragedy of Hamlet Essays

William Shakespeargon undoubtedly achieved one of his greatest characterizations when he created the power of hamlet, in the tragic play Hamlet. Hamlets appeal to earreachs almost certainly stems from his many a(prenominal) human weaknesses. The one for which he is best known is indecisiveness, but his contrariety may well be an even more outstanding characteristic. T. S. Eliot, in 1932, wrote an essay on Hamlet that is still cited as a storied critique of Shakespeares great tragedy. Eliot argued that Hamlet is an artistic failure, due to a canonical weakness in the play. It was his contention that a playwright owes a debt instrument to the audition to write dialogue appropriate to characters as they take a shit been real in the drama. Eliot made the point that in the Closet Scene, when Hamlet confronts fairy Gertrude, his mother, in her bedchamber, his words demonstrate an animosity and a vindictiveness for which the audience is tot all toldy unprepared. Since Eliots c harge against Hamlet is self-evidently valid, actors and directors attempting to stage Shakespeares tragedy have struggled with the problem Eliots essay highlighted, both prior to and after its publication. The conventional climb up in the 20th century has been to imply, on Hamlets part, a frustrated, incestuous manage for his mother, which may justify the words Hamlet speaks, but for which Shakespeare gives no place setting whatsoever. As a result, rather than solving the problem, this approach creates yet other in amity. Still, in spite of these inconsistencies, and in spite of Eliots accusation of artistic failure, Hamlet continues to walk the stage and fascinate theatergoers. If it is justifiable to look for logic and consistency in Hamlet, as Eliot did, one can find a further gre... ... times illogical and inconsistent. All of these examples suggest, however, that the logic and consistency advocated by T. S. Eliot are not essential to a plays success, nor to its greatnes s and immortality. Eliots conclusion that Hamlet is an artistic failure is based on logic even more garish than that of the indecisive Prince of Denmark. A play succeeds because of its ability to stir the feelings of the audience, to transport the members of that audience to places beyond the bounds of the theater and their daily lives. Audiences, whether those of today or of Shakespeares era, do not judge a play by its logical perfection. Hamlet, with all of its inconsistencies, evaluated on the basis of its emotional power, the majesty of its language, and by its seemingly undying ability to move and enthrall audiences, remains one of the theaters ultimate masterpieces.