In Shakespeare's Hamlet, Hamlet is faced with emotional and physical hardship. The suffering that he endures causes his character to develop certain idiosyncrasies. Morality has a significant importance to Hamlet. At the beginning of the play, Hamlet possesses a strong sense of morality. A sense that is stronger than all other characters. Hamlet's actions and feelings are controlled by his morality. His morality grows weaker as the play progresses. Hamlet's opinions toward the characters within the play are determined by his moral standpoint. As the play goes on, Hamlet's tendency of thinking too much causes him to become mad. Hamlet's focal problem is his madness. As the play progresses, Hamlet's moral perspective on life begins to alter. The first change in his morality occurred following Hamlet's first visit from the ghost. Hamlet is told by the ghost to avenge his father's murder. If Hamlet's morality was as strong as it was in the beginning of the play, he would have immediately opposed the ghost. However, he did not oppose the thought of murdering his father's murderer. Hamlet will have a continuous struggle whether to carry out the ghost's deed or to act morally throughout the play. If, throughout, Hamlet is prevented from enacting his revenge by the discomforting ratios that his literary imitations generate, he is equally prevented from repudiating his revenge by his inability to emancipate himself from his father, to be other than an imitation of what has generated him(Kastan 204). Toward the end of the play, Hamlet has abandoned the strong sense of morality that he once possessed. He no longer debated the morality of his every action. His true thoughts now controlled his actions. Hamlet's action following his mother's death is a strong example of his true feelings. After stabbing Claudius, Hamlet forces him to drink from the poisoned wine saying, "Here, thou incestuous, murderous, damned Dame, Drink off this potion. Is t...
