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Gwendolyn McGarry

Mrs. Housley

AP Literature, Block 5

December 12, 2023

Good King Hamlet: Prince Hamlet’s Fitness to Rule

King Claudius exited the throne room, satisfied with his admonishment of stepson

Hamlet’s grief over his late father. He had to put down this dangerous loyalty to the old king, and

after all, he had a party to enjoy. In William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, the

ambitious and conniving Claudius infuriates Prince Hamlet to no end. Hamlet resent Claudius for

taking his fathers life, throne, and Hamlet’s mother. He seethes at Claudius’ flippant attitude,

rejecting Claudius’ festivities and instead reflecting on how Claudius poisoned his family.

Shakespeare shows Hamlet’s nobility and integrity, evident in his value of purity and goodness,

loyalty to his father, and enduring prudence, in order to display Hamlet’s kingly qualities even in

times of strife.

Hamlet first bemoans his situation, but Shakespeare takes care to note how Hamlet is

resisting the powerful temptation to escape from his problems and is instead facing them. He

yearns that his “[t]oo, too sullied flesh would melt/Thaw, and resolve itself into a dew” begging

for a release from his situation (1.2.133-124). Shakespeare’s use of the word “melt” illustrates a

gradual petering out of corporeality, and carries a connotation of gentleness and passivity. The

passivity of Hamlet’s preferred mode of demise indicates a repression of any desire to escape

from his life, as melting away would provide. Shakespeare’s inclusion of Hamlet shouldering

responsibility instead of escaping, like he wishes, indicates the prince’s commitment to not
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backing down from duties and thus fitness to lead a country. Melting is also a transformation

from a rigid, solid existence to a liquid one, a strong dichotomy. Shakespeare’s use of the word

“thaw” further conjures an image of rigid ice softening and flowing away as water, which

ascribes a solid rigidity to Hamlet’s experience. This rigidity contrasts with the antithetical liquid

state he longs for, reflecting the disparity between Hamlet’s anguish and his desired peace.

Hamlet’s wish for his body and troubles to dissipate highlights his desire for purity and

simplicity, highlighting his value of those traits that a ruler would ideally possess. Shakespeare

also indicates Hamlet’s flesh feels, to him, “sullied,” a word that identifies an unwashable

unwholesomeness, which drives home how strong Hamlet’s revulsion toward his family’s

situation is. Through Hamlet’s propriety, to the point of feeling his own body is spoiled by the

misconduct of his mother and uncle-stepfather, Shakespeare expresses Hamlet’s steadfastness to

his morals.

Shakespeare shows that Hamlet’s enduring commitment to upholding his values is

matched by his loyalty to his father, which shows how unwavering Hamlet’s loyalty is even in

the face of death and Claudius’ opposition. Shakespeare employs allusion when Hamlet

compares his father with Claudius as like “Hyperion to a Satyr” in order to clarify how far above

Claudius’ caliber Prince Hamlet sees his father as (2.1.143). A satyr is a lowly goat man, and

absolutely no match for Hyperion, the mythological father of the sun, moon, and stars, an

immortal and omniscient Titan. Satyrs were known also primarily for their love of women,

similar to Claudius who wooed Gertrude away from the memory of her husband.
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Hamlet’s appreciation for his father and familial love is further evidenced when Shakespeare

describes how the late king loved Hamlet’s mother, “That he might not beteem the winds of

heaven/Visit her face too roughly” elevating his commitment to his wife as well as his kindness

by claiming that even such a powerful force as the “winds of heaven” could be moved by his

love (2.1.145-146). Hamlet’s recognition of how his father loved and protected his wife and his

reverent tone in remembrance reflects Hamlet’s own noble traits of loyalty and lovingness.

Even through his inner turmoil, Shakespeare shows Hamlet presenting a brave face and

holding back from interrupting his mother’s apparent happiness, highlighting his patience. All of

Denmark to him now seems wrong, like “An unweeded garden/That goes to seed. Things rank

and gross in nature/Possess it merely” (1.2.141). Shakespeare likens the country to a garden,

which is usually beautiful and well-organized. However, its description as “unweeded,” with

things gone to seed, connotes great neglect and mistreatment. The image of abandonment casting

this garden into chaos reflects how Hamlet feels about the new King Claudius’ rule, disregarding

the moral needs of the country to allow it to fall into disrepair. The absolute of merely “things

rank and gross in nature” being part of this garden further accentuates the decay of a once-

beautiful garden into something ugly. Even though Hamlet’s outlook is bleak, he still endeavors

to keep his misgivings to himself. Shakespeare highlights Hamlet’s concern with the absolute

that the situation “It cannot come to good” (1.2.163), but that he “Must hold [his] tongue”

(1.2.164). The image of Hamlet “holding [his] tongue” reflects how he longs to speak out, but

must restrain himself. He chooses to let his heart break rather than act rashly by expressing

himself, displaying restraint even in the face of great anger, grief, and depression.
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Even in the depths of his despair, Hamlet’s loyalty, love, and patience shine through. He

still acts rashly and lashes out throughout the play, however, Shakespeare indicates that through

all the anguish he is in over the death of his father and the degradation of his family, Hamlet’s

kingly traits and values are not completely forgotten. Even through his worst moments, Hamlet’s

nobility and loyalty make a suitable heir to the throne.