Hamlet: The Theme of Having A Clear Conscience :: Shakespeare Hamlet Essays

critical point The Theme of Having A Clear Conscience The more or less important line in Hamlet  is, The plays the thing, wherein Ill catchthe sense of right and wrong of the king. (II, ii, 617).  In the play, the issue of a clearconscience forms a key motif.  When the conscience of the characters appears, itdoes so as a result of some exploit as in the case of the aforementioned line,which follows Hamlets conversation with the player.  This line is of particular signification because it ties action and its effect on the conscience of thecharacters.  The nature of Hamlet is conscience, and action plays an importantrole in creating the information of the plat. No where is this development seen clearer than with Hamlet.  The Princesdevelopment comes as a result of the self-evaluation of the actions that confoundtaken place, and the ensuing actions that he takes are a clear result of thisself-evaluation.  So, in essence, the actions cause him to come back of hisconscience and so act upon these flavorings.  Hamlets several soliloquies are a volition to this method.  His first soliloquy, following a conversation withhis recently wed spawn and uncle reflect the uneasiness he feels.  He feelsbetrayed.  O, most wicked speed, to post, with such(prenominal) dexterity to incestuoussheets. . . but break my heart, for I must experience my tounge. (I, ii, 156-159).Hamlets conscience tells him what is wrong-in this case, the hasty marriage-buthe is ambivalent as to how to approach it in the beginning he meets the ghost, silence ishis method.  When Hamlet meets his fathers ghost however, he feels sure ofhimself, and knows what he must do.  As a result of the dialogue with the ghost,Hamlets conscience makes him feel that revenge is the best method to deal withthe problems that face him. The consciences of Hamlet, and to a lesser extent, Claudius, affect theirdecisions in the play.  However, both ch aracters only question themselves afterthey have been prompted by some specific action or dialogue.  By self-evaluation,the characters then make the conscious decision to take action with theirfeelings.  An example of this is at the closing curtain of act II, following Hamletsconversation with the player.  In the soliloquy to end the act (whereupon themost important line is derived), Hamlet questions his passion for the plot hehas planned, and his conversation has clearly affected this ambivlance.  However,after mulling over his passion- or lack thereof-towards his plot, Hamlet endsthe soliloquy determined to carry out the play.  Hamlet is questioning hisallegiance to the pact he made with his father in Act I, but by the end of the