What are two conflictss that face Hamlet?

Question

Essay Prompt: Choose a character whose mind id pulled in conflicting directions by two compelling desires ambitions obligations or influences. Identify each of the two conflicting forces and explain how this conflict within one character illuminates the meaning of the work as a whole.

Answer 1

One of his great conflicts is epitomized in the line "To be or not to be" when some critics argue that he is deciding whether or not to commit suicide.  Others argue that he is simply trying to decide which course of action to take.  Hamlet is continually trying to find out more definite information about what he wants to do, which adds to his conflict.  This play poses many questions that other plays would simply take for granted. Can we have certain knowledge about ghosts? Is the ghost what it appears to be, or is it really a misleading fiend? Does the ghost have reliable knowledge about its own death, or is the ghost itself deluded? Moving to more earthly matters: How can we know for certain the facts about a crime that has no witnesses? Can Hamlet know the state of Claudius’s soul by watching his behavior? If so, can he know the facts of what Claudius did by observing the state of his soul? Can Claudius (or the audience) know the state of Hamlet’s mind by observing his behavior and listening to his speech? Can we know whether our actions will have the consequences we want them to have? Can we know anything about the afterlife?

Check out some of the study guides that are available for Hamlet and they should give you more ideas.

http://www.cummingsstudyguides.net/xHaml...

http://www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/ha...

http://absoluteshakespeare.com/guides/ha...

http://www.gradesaver.com/classicnotes/t...