The Many Faces of Hamlet.

We've been reading Hamlet in English class for the past two weeks. We just finished with Act 1, the exposition of the play. Although it's the beginning with a lot of background and lacking in action, I already find this play very interesting. I like the circumstance that Hamlet finds himself in and I love his reaction to everything. Every word that comes out of his mouth has multiple meanings. If you really enjoy or understand Hamlet you could look at the same passage and see many layers or possible meanings that one passage could have. It's a never ending line of knowledge and revelation for the English nerds of the room, and a horrific task to be completed by those with the opposite opinion. I think ones perspective on Hamlet has to do with many factors, some of which we control and others we do not.

This idea of control can also represent the theme of the passage of Hamlet. We just learned in Act 1, Scene 5, that Hamlet's father in ghost form desires Hamlet to kill Claudius his uncle/dad who killed his father. (Talk about a soap opera Shakespeare style.) Hamlet agrees without hesitation and vows to avenge his father. Whether or not he will has yet to be seen, and yet begs another question. Is our destiny in our control or has it been predetermined before our time? 

Many would argue this is a religious question, and although they are right, religion is not a necessary part in order to understand the argument. 

I personally believe that a "golden path" is designed before your birth. This path is the path one could walk on if they make all the right choices and were able to reach their "full potential." Now I also believe that we have the opportunity to choose to walk this path or not. We can return and leave our golden path, but the most important things are: one such golden path exists, and we had the option to choose to walk on it or go against it. I only wonder if this is Hamlets golden path. Is his destiny to kill his uncle and restore balance to the kingdom, or will he choose a less sinful path?