Perception In Hamlet

The Power Self Perception Has in Coping With Tragedy Self perception can be used as a means to cope with the harsh realities brought on by tragedy. This idea is used to help develop a future rooted in acceptance of the past. However, the means in which individuals use self perception to deal with tragedy can be very contrasting. In Shakespeare's play, Hamlet, the character Hamlet uses illusion by pretending to be mad in order to reconcile the death of his father and the lack of support received from his family. Conversely, the character Fortinbras, copes with the death of his father by pursuing vengeance. These two characters have very opposing views on the means in which to reconcile the conflict between illusion and reality. However, they
One choses to create the illusion that in order to get over the grief of losing his father, he must go out and pursue action. While the other choses to create the illusion that in order to get over the grief of losing his father, he must use the illusion of madness to seek vengeance for their father's death. Both character eventually end up achieving their desires for vengeance, but it is Fortinbras who ends up on top. Fortinbras deals with his daddy issues by taking action to reclaim the lands his father lost to old King Hamlet. While Hamlet constantly procrastinates killing his Uncle finally overcoming his procrastination in the last moments of the play to achieve vengeance.

Self perception is forever entwined with humans and their ability to reconcile the conflict between illusion and reality. In the instance of Hamlet and Fortinbras, both characters create a glorified illusion of themselves to overcome their feelings of grief after losing their fathers. Hamlet and Fortinbras are clear examples of how individuals with distorted self perception use illusion to overcome the difficulty in facing the reality of a tragic