Philosophical Approach Anaylsis of Hamlet

Philosophical Approach

In Act 2 Hamlet's view of life is presented by Shakespeare craftily through Hamlet's degradation of sanity. Hamlet speaks with such conviction and eloquence in his long meticulous dialogues, questioning everything until he comes to the conclusion that life has no absolute truths but has only subjective values based on differences in perception. This is apparent in his conversation with Rosencrantz when he says, "there is nothing either good or bad but thinking makes it so" (II.ii.268-270). Hamlet's view could be assumed to be him contemplating whether or not he will kill Claudius because his future actions can only be judged by he thinks. Hamlet may believe that avenging King Hamlet's death is a good thing morally, for the reason that his uncle was the one that committed an unforgivable crime.

Love being the core motivator to actions, happens to be another view of life that is prevalent within Act 2.

"That she should lock herself from <his> resort,

Admit no messengers, receive no tokens;

Which done, she took the fruits of my advice,

And he, repelled (a short tale to make),

Fell into a sadness, then into a fast,

Thence to a watch, thence into a weakness,

Thence to <a> likeness, and, by this declension,

Into a madness wherein now he raves" (II.ii.152-159)

This section of Polonius's conversation with the King and Queen indicates how he believes that everything that's occurring with Hamlet is solely derived from his love for Ophelia and being rejected even though he poured his heart out to her. Polonius, however, is not the only character to hold this opinion. The King, Queen, Laertes, and Ophelia are in acquiescence as well. This is imperative to the plot for the way Hamlet will be treated and possibly under looked, since nobody realizes his rashness and madness is from the loss he had, his mother remarrying practically instantaneously, and the moral battle within himself.