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Kellie Elhai

English 12 AP P. 3

Mrs. P. Bradley

February 27 2017

Hamlets Climax: Well, He Tried

Hamlet, written by the famous William Shakespeare, is riddled with conflicts of all

shapes and sizes. Ophelia struggles with her feelings for Hamlet, Polonius devises a way for his

daughter to wed the Prince of Denmark, and Gertrude wonders why her son has gone mad.

Each character is wrapped up in their own fights and worries. The main conflict that drives the

plot of Hamlet forward, however, is Hamlets hunt for revenge. Following the Shakespearian plot

structure utilized in the majority of his plays, the climax of Hamlet is when the Prince stabs

Polonius through the curtain, believing him to be King Claudius.

Since the climax of the show is in Act III, Act I serves as the exposition, introducing the

setting, characters, and main conflict. It does so by bringing to our attention the presence of an

odd ghost wandering about. Horatio and Marcellus rattle on about it and its similarity to his

deceased father, so Hamlet feels it necessary to witness the spirit with his own two eyes. He

joins his men on guard, and approaches and speaks to the ghost when it appears. The spirit,

indeed taking the form of his father, orders Hamlet to Revenge his foul and most unnatural

murder (I, V, 31). It further reveals that King Claudius committed the heinous deed, that

incestuous, that adulterate beast (I, V, 49). Although Hamlet, of course, does not yet have

proof, he has the seeds of suspicion planted within him. He is determined to do what the ghost

commanded him to. This conflict is cut off at the end of Act I, but its presence slowly makes itself

known as the plot continues.

The second and third Acts move the conflict into motion. The obstacles standing in the

way of the conflict being resolved include the lack of evidence against Claudius and Hamlets

indecision, both of which are leapt over in the third Act. In the Act before, Hamlet devises a way
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to confirm Claudiuss guilt. He states, Ill have these players play something like the murder of

my father before mine uncle. Ill observe his looks; Ill tent him to the quick. If he do blench, I

know my course. The spirit that I have seen may be a devil (II, II, 623-627). He soliloquizes

that hell closely watch his uncles reactions as the players act out a scenario similar to the

situation at hand. If he reacts strongly or strangely, Hamlet will then know that the King is guilty

and be able to take revenge on his father. The fact that he refers back to the spirit that assigned

him the task in the first Act is further proof of the overlying conflict of Hamlets search for

revenge.

Following through with the plan, Hamlet observes Claudius stand up abruptly during the

play, demanding that lights be turned on, and flee the scene (III, I, 295). This signals the defeat

of one of the obstacles standing in the way of the conflicts resolution: the doubt surrounding

Claudiuss guilt. With that cleared up, all Hamlet has to overcome is his indecision. This is

addressed in the bedroom when he stabs Polonius through the curtain, believing him to be the

guilty King Claudius (III, IV, 27-30). Although Hamlet did not kill the correct person, this moment

is the climax in several definitions. First, it is the point with the highest tension and energy.

Killing has been referred to and threatened several moments in the play up to this point, but the

deed has never actually been performed. Hamlets slaying of Polonius is unexpected, full of

emotion (anger from Hamlet and fear and disbelief from Gertrude), and leaves the audience

shell-shocked. Poloniuss death also marks a turning point in the play. Once Claudius hears of

the spectacle, he has several valid reasons to send Hamlet away to England: to protect both

Hamlet and the people of Denmark. Although this course of action does not keep the Prince

away for long, it enacts several other events that all work towards Hamlet taking Claudiuss life.

The crest of the hill has been passed with Hamlets slaying of Polonius, and the rest of

the big events in the play occur in quick succession. Hamlets departure signals the return of

Laertes, who causes no little complication on his part. He and Claudius devise a plan to kill

Hamlet with a poisoned spear in a fencing match, as they now believe the young prince to be a
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danger to both himself and them (IV, V). These plans quickly go wrong with Gertrude drinking

the poisoned wine prepared for Hamlet and the spear killing the King, Laertes, and Hamlet.

When Fortinbras arrives with intentions of taking over, he stumbles upon a bloodbath, stating,

The sight is dismal, and our affairs from England come too late (V, II, 407-408). The rest of the

deaths that take place in the plot of Hamlet are all instigated by the initial death of Polonius and

are pit stops on the road trip to Claudiuss eventual demise.

Hamlets hunt for revenge is the driving force in Shakespeares famous tragedy. The

conflict progresses slowly through Acts II and III; the play designed to confirm or deny

Claudiuss guilt is the spark that leads to the flame of a climax. This play allows Hamlet to gather

enough evidence to take action and work to resolve the conflict. His sudden stabbing of

Polonius marks the climax of the play, as it is both the point of highest tension and the turning

point of the show. This climax does not solve the conflict, but rather serves to progress towards

its resolution at a quicker and more violent pace. Hamlets attempt (and failure) to take revenge

on Claudius for his fathers death is the spark that lights the flame that drives the rest of the

play.