Do you think Hamlet is a problem play or a tragedy? Why?
As a drama that explores the issue of madness, Hamlet is problematic. Hamlet pretends to be insane in an effort to make people think he is harmless. Hamlet is becoming detached from reality as he muses over the passing of his father. He begins behaving strangely and irrationally as he plots his retaliation. It turns out that troubles he believes to be imaginary are actually much more real than he realizes.
A problem play is a specific type of play that is distinct from the 19th-century problem play. It is frequently referred to as Shakespeare’s trouble play. It has a sophisticated tone and distinguishing characteristics. Shakespeare’s plays cannot be classified as “pure tragedy or pure comedy,” according to Shakespeare’s Trouble Plays. They do not have happy endings, but they also do not contain tragic components in their stories. A character who ventured along a dark road can be seen in a problematic play.
Tragic events are a subset of drama, according to Britannica. It stands for “sad or horrible occurrences” that the main character experiences or causes. This kind of drama has a lengthy history that dates back to ancient Greece. It explores the nature of existence and is frequently rich in psychological insights. It might have dark elements since it’s a problem play. Yet the ending and further terrible events are typical.
Indeed, Hamlet contains certain essential components of a tragedy. Tragic occurrences include a number of deaths that occur during the plot, including the death of the protagonist. Hamlet is frequently said to as a revenge tragedy. When the play was composed and made popular, it was popular during the Elizabethan and Jacobean ages. The primary character in this subgenre seeks retribution. This desire may merely exist in the hero’s mind as the tale progresses, or it may inspire actual action. Throughout the play, the topic of retribution is strongly illustrated. As a result of Hamlet’s desire to kill Claudius for killing his father, he ends up killing more people and passing away.
Hamlet, though, is more associated with a problematic play. The reader observes the figure who, rather than being sad in the traditional sense, plunges into the shadows. Hamlet plays the fool to deceive Claudius.
Later on though, he starts to lose consciousness and reality. His violent outbursts may serve as evidence that his craziness is no longer a facade. To begin with, Hamlet accidentally kills Polonius and bears no remorse for it. A somber environment, such as a graveyard in one scene or nighttime in another, also reflects the darkness. The play’s tension-filled environment is palpable throughout.
Shakespeare highlights a number of spiritual and emotional issues. He doesn’t provide a solution for them in his play, though. The protagonist, according to the introduction to Hamlet, constantly feels insecure. In a “muck of delusion,” he tries to “discover the truth.” But he is unable to provide an answer to the haunting questions. Hamlet shifts the emphasis on moral and mental problems without providing solutions. As no one directly responds to anyone in real life, it brings the play closer to reality. Hamlet’s demise ultimately represents his failure to get over his insanity and uncertainty.
