The Tragedy of Hamlet, written by William Shakespeare, takes place during the Renaissance period. Shakespeare's play is a tragedy that reveals the medieval theory of the Fortune Wheel. The Fortune Wheel is the belief that a man on top will soon be on the bottom; a man that has it all will soon fall. This happens to, Hamlet, the tragic hero of the play. Usually the tragic hero of a play lacks description, but luckily during the Renaissance era Humanism was developed. Humanism allows readers to get a better picture of the tragic hero. It elaborates on what the character is thinking and feeling. In Shakespeare's play Humanism is employed through Hamlet's soliloquies. Soliloquies are Hamlet's private speeches when he is alone on stage. They are speeches that allow Hamlet to think out loud. They give us information about his personal thoughts. The Fortune Wheel is the belief that fate is the reason for the fall of a hero, but Humanism helps find the actual cause for the fall of a great tragic hero. The cause of Hamlet's demise and the catalyst for his violent end is due to the procrastination and delay of revenge on his Uncle Claudius. First, Hamlet's indecisiveness kept him from killing Claudius next, Hamlet's internal loathing of his uncle postponed the murder and finally Hamlet's disillusionment delayed the murder of his Uncle Claudius.
Hamlet's indecisiveness delayed the murder of his Uncle Claudius. When Hamlet found out that his Uncle had murdered his father, the ghost told him that he must seek revenge. Even from the beginning Hamlet was unsure and didn't believe in himself. He didn't think that he was the right person for the job of murdering his uncle. "Oh cursed spite that ever I was born to set it right!" (I.v.210-11). Hamlet cannot decide when to kill Claudius. He had the chance to kill Claudius, but he decided not to. "Now might I do it, no he is a-praying, and now I"ll do "t.