Question

many commentators believe hamlet was depressed and confused,was this true

Answer 1

Early in the play, Hamlet’s mood is dark and depressed, but when he’s given the task of avenging his father’s ghost, his desire to find out the truth gives him a sense of urgency and purpose. As the play progresses, and he fails to find a satisfactory way to correct the problem, he becomes increasingly frustrated, lashing out more impulsively, ruthlessly, and recklessly, until the final catastrophe. Thus we could say that the tone of the play, meaning the author’s attitude toward the events, seems like its going to be optimistic in the beginning of the play (when it seems like justice could be achieved), but bleaker as the play moves on, and it seems like achieving justice or redemption in a situation like this is impossible.