An Angry Young Man

Paper Summary:

This paper looks at how Prince Hamlet of Denmark has set the standard for the "angry young man" and how he is, perhaps, the most complex character in Shakespearean literature; his behavior is still being debated by critics today. It attempts to analyzes whether Hamlet was truly mad, or was he simply trying to convince everyone he was by putting "an antic disposition on." It shows how there are several incidents throughout the play that lend considerable confidence that the young Hamlet had, in fact, a precarious hold on his mental faculties. It also demonstrates how, throughout the course of the play, Hamlet's soliloquies emphasize his inner emotional conflicts, which take him dangerously close to suicide.

From the Paper:

"Hamlet, in his paranoia, is convinced that everyone is against him including Claudius, Gertrude, and Ophelia. He believes his college friends Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are spying on him (which, in fact, they are), and he views Ophelia's father, Polonius, with similar contempt. This is yet another example of Hamlet's irrational behavior. Of course, Polonius would serve as a messenger to the King this is his official function and has nothing whatsoever to do with Hamlet. Hamlet believes otherwise. He bursts into Ophelia's room and his erratic behavior frightens her. She confides to her father, Polonius about her visit from Prince Hamlet."

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