著者

村上 世津子

出版者

新潟工科大学

雑誌

新潟工科大学研究紀要 (ISSN:1342792X)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.23, pp.75-93, 2019-03

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Hamlet's procrastination has long puzzled the audience. Despite his desire to revenge his father's death on his uncle, and despite his promise to the ghost, he repeatedly delays taking revenge. Above all, the scene in which Hamlet, seeing the king praying alone, draws but sheathes the sword, impresses the audience with his procrastination. Though Claudius appears to be capable, he also is a procrastinator. Since Hamlet is a son of the king whom Claudius killed, he knows Hamlet is vengeful and knows he should get rid of him, but he cannot. Instead, he asks him to stay, and agrees with Polonius's proposal to use Ophelia to test Hamlet's feeling. He even misses the chance after the nunnery scene and before the play within the play. Thus, Claudius resembles Hamlet in his procrastination and his, together with Hamlet's is the cause of the tragedy. However, causes of their procrastination differ. Hamlet procrastinates because he is not fully convinced of his uncle's guilt whereas Claudius procrastinates because he cannot confront his guilty feeling. The important thing is that Hamlet's integrity, though it causes his procrastination, wins back Laertes and enables him to revenge his father's death on his uncle.