Hamlet as an anti hero

In William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, the main character, Hamlet, can be considered an Anti-hero. An Anti-hero is best described as the protagonist of a story who does not maintain all of the same qualities that a conventional hero would. For example, an Anti-hero can be rude, violent, and motivated only by their own needs, as well as lacking heroic qualities such as courage, nobility, and fortitude. A good Anti-hero will also draw sympathy from the audience/reader, as is the case with Hamlet. Throughout the play, Hamlet’s overall intentions are mostly good, such as avenging his father by killing Claudius. However, his negative, anti-heroic side also shows up constantly. He is ill mannered at times, and also acts violently on several occasions without showing any signs of remorse.

Like any good Anti-hero, Hamlet has the reader/audience show sympathy for him. We sympathize because of his fathers death, along with burden and complications of avenging his fathers murder. The point in the play in which the most sympathy is shown for Hamlet is the final scene, where both Laertes and Claudius pit against him and plan to kill him. Claudius states: To an exploit now ripe in my device, Under the which he shall not choose but fall, 2 And for his death no wind of blame shall breathe; But even his mother shall unchange the practice, And call it accident. (4.7.65-69) To Claudius, Hamlet is a threat, and he is willing to eliminate him by any means possible. Here, Hamlet is depicted as the victim, causing the reader to take his side and feel bad for him, and eventually when Hamlet faces death, he takes the role of the hero and is willing to die to do what is right.The sympathy shown for Hamlet by the reader is a very good indication that Hamlet is in fact an Anti-hero and not a villain.

There are several occasions in which Hamlet uses violence in the play without showing remorse. This is a major character flaw that distinguishes Hamlet