Hamlet 12

Hamlet's "Tragic Flaw" Hamlet's famous soliloquy (Hamlet, act III, scene 1) shows his depth and ability in thinking, and shows Shakespeare's ability to manipulate language. Throughout the play, Hamlet stops to think before acting on anything. The more he thinks, the less he does. Therefore, thinking led him to doubt, which led to inaction. "Thus conscience does make cowards of us all." Hamlet's "tragic flaw" is his inability to act on impulse. Stopping to think before …

…we've done it, so then we don't. Hamlet was different; the longer he brewed over his father's murder, the angrier and more impassioned toward revenge he became. On his journey home to Denmark, he thought about revenge and planned to kill Claudius. Recognizing he was the victim of a pre-planned duel, Hamlet let his anger overcome him. Hamlet killed Claudius in an impulsive act, thus overcoming his own "tragic flaw." Hamlet, Shakespeare, act III, scene 1.