In Shakespeare’s tragic tale of Hamlet, destiny is viewed as a predetermined course of events, which lead to the outcome of one’s future. Morals, values and beliefs reflect one’s destiny, since they affect the decisions and choices that are made. Based on experience and development of knowledge one discovers their likes and dislikes. These discoveries lead to certain goals, fears, dreams, desires and expectations that one would go to any extent to achieve. Collectively, all of this contributes to one’s destiny and what they, as individuals, desire for themselves.
In the case of the play Hamlet, Claudius’ desires to be king influence him to make decisions that affect the outcome of his own destiny. When considering the character of Hamlet, one is able to see that it is his procrastination that ultimately fails him and stops him from coming in terms with his inner self. Gertrude, being blind to the fact that Claudius killed her husbdand, contributes to the colapse of Hamlet’s sense of individuation, and propels her character into fatal desiny. One would argue therefore that man is the author of his own desiny.
The character of Claudius makes several decisions that are morally wrong. In the decision to murder King Hamlet, lust overcomes love in a sense that he murders his own brother due to his desire to be King. His need for power allows him to sell his soul to the devil. After the murderous scheme is discovered by Hamlet, Claudius is troubled by his guilty conscience. “O, my offence is rank, it smell to heaven;/It hath the primal eldest curse upon’t-/A brother’s murder. Pray can I not/My stronger quilt defeats my strong intent. ” (Shakespeare, Hamlet, Act III, Sc. iii.. -40)
Still, however, he is not ready to give up the throne. It is obvious that Hamlet’s sudden madness is a result of his knowledge that Claudius did in fact kill Hamlet’s father. Nonetheless, the desire, and the longing to be king is far too strong for Claudius to resist. His need for power is so overwhelming that he does not have any other importance, thus controlling his destiny. Hamlet’s need to dwell on the command of his father’s ghost, thus fail him to come in terms with his inner self. Due to continuos procrastination, his train of thought is altered several times.
And so am I reveng’d. That would be scann’d:/ A villain kills my father, and for that/ I, his sole son, do this same villain send/ To heaven. ” (Act III, sc. iii.. 75-78) Hamlet’s feelings are altered several times due to the circumstances of his mother’s remarriage, and his father’s death. The more Hamlet faces the murder in which he must commit to avenge his father’s death, the less he is able to commit it. However, it is of great importance to Hamlet to avenge his father’s death, yet he is unable to commit the deed without studying his actions several times.
Thus causing circumstance with the death of Polonius, Gertrude, and Ophelia, and the duel between Hamlet and Laeretes to arise. Which somehow would have occurred differently if Hamlet followed through with his first instinct to kill Claudius. With Hamlet postponing his actions, he gave Claudius time to plot his own operation, and fail, only due to a simple confusion among the swords. As wife of Claudius, and mother of Hamlet, Gertrude is torn between the love for her son, and the loyalty for her husband.
It is common logic that Hamlet would be severely bothered by his mother’s hasty remarriage, since he and his father had a complex level of respect, “Hyperion to a satyr, so loving to my mother” (Act I, sc. ii.. 140) And he sees his mother’s marriage to his uncle as being incestuous. “With such dexterity to incestuous sheets! ” (Act I, sc. ii.. 157) When Hamlet reveals to his mother about the murder of his father committed at the hands of Claudius, “A bloody deed. Almost as ban, good mother, / As kill a king and marry with his brother. ” (Act III, sc. iv.. -29) Gertrude begins to choose her loyalty for her husband as King, over her son.
Thus because she believes that Hamlet has gone mad. “Alas, he’s mad. ” (Act III, sc. iv.. 106) Although she begins to realize the immorality of her marriage, she becomes vulnerable and incompetent. In a sense that she is unable to speak with her own thoughts and opinion, due to the sudden unexpected changes in her life. She allows Claudius to control her thoughts and attitude, and follow through with actions towards her son, manipulating her to believe in Hamlets madness, the trip to England, and the duel with Laeretes.
Being blind to the truth causes Gertrude to be caught up in a situation, which leads to her death, and a fatal destiny. When one becomes aware of their dreams and desires, they make decisions and choices that may alter the outcome of their destiny, based on experiences and knowledge of what they like or dislike. In Hamlet, it is obvious that characters such as Claudius, Hamlet and Gertrude could have altered the outcome of their destiny by exploring the different options and choices they had. One can always change his decision or choice therefore altering the outcome of his destiny.
