In Shakespeares play Hamlet, Hamlet attempts to act morally and honestly with his plans to avenge his father,

King Hamlets, death by killing Claudius; but because of his fear of death and his inability to defy his own tragic limitations, Hamlet harms not only Ophelia and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern but also Laertes, Gertrude and himself. His actions, or rather his inability to perform result in many needless deaths, consequently allowing for this tragic play. Immediately after meeting the ghost, Hamlet decides to avenge his fathers death by killing Claudius. He swears on his sword he would commit the act and in turn has no way of turning back. Haste me to knowt, that I, with wings as swift / As mediation or the thoughts of love / May sweep to my revenge (1.5.29-31). Originally, it is evident that Hamlets plans to avenge his father come from the humble and honest place in Hamlet. He feels; the time is out of joint (1.5.190-191) and it is his duty to fix the problem. Additionally, Hamlet attempts to act morally as he tries to find proof of Claudius sinful actions before killing him. The most evident proof is the dumb show Hamlet presents. The show mirrors the events in the play, and allows Hamlet to see Claudius guilt when the king is slain, ultimately proving Claudius sinful actions: Didst perceive? / Upon the talk of the poisoning? / For if the king like not the comedy / Why, then, belike, he likes it not, perdy (3.2.282-288). The fact that Hamlet required proof of Claudius guilt for his sins shows that Hamlet was attempting to act moral. Whilst attempting to act morally, Hamlet begins to act mad in order to hide his emotions and to protect himself from others. In turn, he harms virtually every character in the play, beginning with Ophelia. Hamlet refuses Ophelias love when he realizes Polonius and Claudius are spying on them. This action sends Ophelia into a deep depression, ultimately resulting in her death; One woe doth tread upon anothers heel/ So fast they follow: your sisters drownd, Laertes (4.7.165-165). Furthermore, when Hamlet is sent to England to be slain, he escapes the boat, leaving his friends, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to take his place; So Guildenstern and Rosencrantz go tot (5.2.56-57). Hamlets need of survival results in Rosencrantz and Guildensterns death, latterly making Hamlet responsible for their outcome. Hamlets attempts at acting morally are subsided by his desire to live, ultimately harming others during his course to avenge his fathers death. All through Shakespeares play, Hamlet, Hamlet is attempting to restore order in Denmark by avenging his fathers death, which results in the death of Claudius. Although Hamlet tries to act morally, his inability to kill Claudius due to; [his] obsession with death (Richards. Hamlets Obsession with Death. 2009) results in the tragic ending of this play. Hamlet finds he fears death, as he does not know what comes to him in the afterlife; To grunt and sweat under a weary life / But that the dread of something after death /

Thus conscience does make cowards of us all (3.1.78-84). His ineptitude to accept his role as a tragic hero, allows for the delay in Claudius death, resulting in Hamlets final battle with Laertes. In this final battle, Gertrude is killed by a glass of poison and Claudius, Laertes and Hamlet are killed with a poison-tipped sword. Subsequently, if Hamlet was able to defy his fear of death and kill Claudius immediately, he would not have caused the numerous, needless deaths throughout this play. Although Hamlet begins his journey through this tragic story with moral and honest intentions in avenging his King Hamlets death, his fear of death and his inability to defy his own tragic limitations result in numerous needless deaths through out this play. Shakespeares play, Hamlet, follows the journey of a prince who is unable to accept his death, and fearlessly look forward to his afterlife, a common trait among human beings today.