Saturday, November 9, 2013

In "Hamlet" did Hamlet really love his father and what are some examples?

Yes, he did.  The fact that he is so upset about his mother's marrying his uncle so quickly is one indication that he loved his father.  He feels completely insulted for his father's sake; the fact that she forgot him so quickly seems to indicate that he wasn't worth remembering, and Hamlet is completely disgusted by that.


Also, in the beginning of the play, he calls his father "so excellent a king", compares him to "Hercules", and states that "He was a man, take him for allin all, I shall not look upon his like again." (I.ii.139-188).  All of these quotes seem to indicate that he thought very highly of him; he was excellent, like a god, and there will never be another man like him.


Consider also the great lengths that Hamlet went to in order to exact revenge on his father's behalf, to redeem his reputation and kingdom.  The entire play itself is a testament of Hamlet's love for his father; if he didn't care, he wouldn't have strived so mightily to exact revenge just because his father's ghost told him to.  That is probably the most powerful indicator of Hamlet's love for his father.

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