Mirando, Mark B.

Eng 23

2013-00862 Prof. Judy Ick

“Hamlet’s Turning Point”

Upon reading Act 1-4, it is difficult to identify the turning point of the play because of its
possibilities. Claudius reaction to Hamlet’s “mousetrap” can be one of the turning points of the play
because this gesture confirmed all of Hamlet’s suspicions about his uncle and this confirmed the
Ghost’s statement about his [The Late Danish King] murder. However, if this gesture was done, will
this further more complicate the play? Is there no turning back? I argue that a turning point should
be an action of no return. Perhaps, Hamlet’s murder to Polonius is the turning point of the play for
this action further complicates the play. This action is the point of no return to Hamlet. This is the
articulation of his character’s decision and inner life. This act also resulted to more chain of events
such as Laertes’s revolt to the king and Ophelia’s madness in the fourth act. Therefore, I argue that
Hamlet’s act of murder to Polonius is the point of no return of the play.