LITERARY FEATURE
THE TRUE TRAGIC FLAW:
HAMLET’S OVERCONFIDENCE
By J Critic
Hamlet is the most misunderstood character in
Shakespeare’s play Hamlet. Gaining insight into
his character helps readers better understand the
entire play. A close observation of his actions and
words leads to critical insight into the character
flaw that explains his actions.
Hamlet’s Tragic Flaw--Overconfidence
So why won't Hamlet just do it? What flaw in his
character leads to his tragic demise? Throughout the
play, Hamlet has several opportunities to take revenge
on Claudius, yet he does not take advantage of them.
Some people say that it is because he is a
procrastinator, or that he is a coward, or that madness
destroys his life before he seeks revenge. But I see
more than these reasons. To me, Hamlet's "hamartia" is
the over- confidence he has in himself to go through
with the revenge.
Too Ready to Revenge
One of the earliest indications that Hamlet may be just
a little too sure of himself is when he first sees and talks
to the ghost. In a state of great excitement, Hamlet
declares himself ready to revenge: "Haste me to
know't, that I with wings as swift/ As meditation, or the
thoughts of love,/ May sweep to my revenge" (I, v, 2931). Hamlet is so overwhelmed he agrees to seek
revenge before the identification of the murder is
made and the details of the crime are provided. The
arrogance in Hamlet's character is further shown soon
after the ghost leaves. Even though Hamlet has told the
ghost he would revenge whoever was the murderer
immediately and he has sworn that the ghost's
"commandment all alone shall live/ Within the book
and volume of my brain" (I, v, 102-03), Hamlet develops
the idea to act crazy: "to put on an antic disposition" (I,
v, 172). Why act crazy? Why not directly kill the King (as
Laertes threatens to do to Hamlet in revenge later in
the play)? Hamlet's first act in carrying out his revenge
really delays the enactment of that revenge. His choice
to delay wasn't due to fear or procrastination; he acted
crazy because of his comfortable sureness--his pride in
his craftiness--to revenge.
Too Eager to Set the Mousetrap
In addition, we can see more evidence of Hamlet's
overconfidence in the scenes revolving around the play
within the play. Despite the fact that two months delay
and pretended madness have lead him to doubt the
ghost, he latches onto his little plot to test Claudius and
the ghost with sureness and a kind of giddiness. When
he asks the player to play The Murder of Gonzago, we
hear command and quick determination in his voice,
"Well ha't [the play] tomorrow night" (II, ii, 511). His
confidence in his plot is clearly seen in his soliloquy
right after the players have left: "I'll observer his looks/
I'll tent him to the quick, if a' do blench/ I know my
course" (II, ii, 571-573). Hamlet bravely is sure that this
elaborate and indirect plot will lead him to kill Claudius
if he sees he is guilty. Interestingly, Hamlet fails to kill
the King when he does show his guilt during the play.
Why doesn't Hamlet do the bloody deed? Because he is
sure of his ability to do the killing when he wishes. This
hent/ When he is drunk asleep or in his rage,/ Or in th'
incestuous pleasure of his bed" (III, iii, 87-90). Hamlet
arrogantly and surely presumes that he will do the
revenge in a better way than the one presented to him.
“’S’blood, do you think I am easier
to be played on than a pipe? Call me
what you will, though you can fret
me, you cannot play upon me.”
overconfidence in his craftiness shows itself in the
rapidity with which he re-adopts his pretend madness
when Rosencrantz and Guildenstern return after the
play to speak with him. Guildenstern asks Hamlet to put
his "discourse into some frame, and start not so wildly
from my affair" and says his "courtesy is not of the right
breed" (III, ii, 290-1, 296). Hamlet confidently sinks back
into his crafty method of carrying out the revenge. In
the same scene, Hamlet's true lion nature comes out
when he admonishes Rosencrantz and Guildenstern:
"'S'blood, do you think I am easier to be played on than
a pipe? Call me what you will, though you can fret me,
you cannot play upon me" (III, ii, 347-350). This is not
wimp speaking. This is no madman. This is the powerful
voice of confidence.
“Up sword, and know thou a more
horrid hent”
His Overconfidence Led to Deaths
In conclusion, it is Hamlet's overconfidence that he can
do the revenge that causes his tragic death and
downfall. Even in his speech near the end where he tells
Horatio that "the readiness is all" can be seen as
evidence that to the very end he knew that he could do
the revenge whenever he wished. His overconfidence
made him sloppy and drew others who didn't deserve to
die into the net of his revenge as well. If only he had
channeled his conceitedness from the start into a quick
and direct revenge (like Laertes'), then perhaps no one
but the King would have died.
Delays Easy Revenge for Better Chance Later
Further evidence that Hamlet's tragic flaw is his
overconfidence can be seen when he fails to kill
Claudius when he was praying. Hamlet sees his
opportunity and confidently says, "Now might I do it
pat" (III, iii, 72). But Hamlet doesn't kill the king at that
moment. Instead, he chooses to wait for a better
moment: "Up sword, and know thou a more horrid
His overconfidence made him sloppy and drew others who
didn’t deserve to die into the net of his revenge.