Hamlet is Too Intellectual Theory
No matter the amount of thought, an object will not move without a push or a pull. Samuel Taylor Coleridge introduces a theory on Hamlet’s delay in seeking revenge, proposing that Hamlet’s intellect prevents action. From his first few interactions in the play, it is obvious that Hamlet is well-versed, crafting witty responses that reveal his analytical mind. “But now, my cousin Hamlet, and my son / A little more than kin and less than kind.” (Act I, Scene 2, Line 65) “How is it that the clouds still hang on you? /Not so, my lord. I am too much i' the sun.” (Act I, Scene 2, Line 67) Hamlet’s obsession with understanding, whether it be his emotions, decisions, or situation, causes for his hesitation in killing Claudius.
Once Hamlet finds out that his father was murdered by Claudius, he is placed in the same situation as Fortinbras, a foil character. Fortinbras gathers an army together shortly after his father’s death and leads a charge against Denmark. Hamlet, on the other hand, chooses to give his revenge, heavy thought. His mind goes crazy, not only planning the perfect revenge but contemplating its worth. Hamlet’s play within a play exemplifies this, as before acting against Claudius, he wants to ensure his guilt, forcing a genuine confession of the murder. He does not act upon instinct, rather he waits for suspicions to be confirmed.
Before the play, Hamlet’s infamous soliloquy contemplates what the purpose of life is. He seeks truth which goes beyond the individual, a question posed to all of humankind, and in this, he demonstrates his need to see the bigger picture. A fascination with death plagues the mind of many, as it poses two outlooks, a life of self-fulfillment (no matter the desires), or suffering. The after-life is unknown, therefore, one can choose to, “take arms against a sea of troubles,” or “suffer / the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune.” (Act III, Scene 1, Line 58-59). Hamlet takes the time to weigh the pros and cons of both sides and is indecisive on the right path, as he tries to find an answer for a question that is subjective. He seeks a sense of objectivity, in a realm of questions that deal with one’s thoughts, which may also be why he struggles with the expression of emotions. Hamlet’s analytical mind makes it hard for him to decide which life is nobler to live, which in turn, delays any forms of action.
Seeing the bigger picture causes Hamlet to give up a perfect chance to take his revenge. As Claudius faces his guilt and attempts prayer, Hamlet yields a sword along with an opportunity to act. He has confirmed his suspicions, yet allows Claudius to live, believing that Claudius has repented his wrongdoings and would be sent to heaven. Only in considering the after-life did Hamlet choose to once again, delay his actions, in an attempt to ensure that Claudius benefits nothing from Hamlet’s actions. Without such considerations, Claudius would have been sentenced to the same afterlife, and the story would not have ended with a gruesome bloodbath.
Hamlet’s reluctance in killing Claudius is rooted in his intellect, seeking truth before acting. Coleridge’s theory is thought to have exemplified the necessity of a balance between inward and outward thoughts, as shared in The Philosophical Basis of Coleridge’s Hamlet Criticism. “I conceive him to have wished to exemplify the moral necessity of a due balance between our attention to outward objects and our meditation on inward thoughts … In Hamlet this balance does not exist – his thoughts, images, and fancy [being] far more vivid than his perceptions.” In writing Hamlet, Shakespeare can bring to light, this necessity of balance, as no matter the depth of one’s thoughts, action is only possible through acting. “Hence great, enormous intellectual activity, and a consequent proportionate aversion to real action,” is demonstrated through Prince Hamlet. A lack of thought can cause plans to crumble, yet an obsession with thought can produce no plans at all.