One of William Shakespeare's most skillfully crafted dramas, Hamlet, has been highly acclaimed since it was first written and performed in the early seventeenth century. Although Northrop Frye argues Hamlet is a good man despite his faults, his actions throughout the coarse of the play indicate otherwise. Hamlet's attitude, acts of violence, and treatment of women show that he is not the most noble of men.
Although Hamlet has endured many injustices in his life, his outlook throughout the play is exaggerated. He pities himself to the point that he wishes to commit suicide, declaring, "Or that the Everlasting had not fixed/ His canon "gainst self-slaughter" (1.2.131-132). After a short time, he again seems self-absorbed when he criticizes the player for his emotion during his performance about the fall of Troy: "What's Hecuba to him, or he to Hecuba,/ That he should weep for her?" (2.2.569-570). He continues, saying, "What would he do/ Had he the motive and the cue for passion/ That I have? He would drown the stage with tears" (2.2.570-572), believing his situation to be more grievous than anything anyone has ever experienced. Hamlet has been unlucky in his present life, but to be feel so sorry for himself is inexcusable, when most of his life has been splendid.
There are numerous murders in Hamlet, with the seemingly "do-gooder" Hamlet being the instigator of many of these crimes. Polonius is mistaken by Hamlet to be Claudius, and Hamlet instantly kills him without thought. When he sees his mistake, eh shows little remorse for having killed a relatively innocent man: "Thou wretched, rash, intruding fool, farewell!" (3.4.32). This same act of evil is again committed by the Prince, as it is discovered he forged a letter from the King condemning Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to death: "And our affairs from England come too late./ To tell him his commandment is fulfilled,/ That Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are dead" (5.
