The Incompetence In Hamlet's 'Speech Of Hecuba'

1230 Words5 Pages
Indeed, the interior of one’s self reverberates through one’s exterior! Hamlet appreciates this idea in the ‘Speech of Hecuba’ and signifies the fact that looks, though being the most deceiving of all, can sometimes become the sole authentic way of breaking open the ‘mould’ to reveal the true ‘matter’ inside. In this play, the demise of Hamlet’s father, the former king, followed by the marriage of his mother, Gertrude, with his uncle (now-king), Claudius, later followed by the spirit of the late king coming to unveil Claudius as his murderer leaves Hamlet in a state of intense dilemma; he feels frustrated upon his inability to see beneath the worldly ‘cover’ that veils the unseen reality behind the progression of all of these events. Unable…show more content…
Hamlet’s incompetence is not due to him being on the verge of insanity, as his actions might portray, but because of the sheer perception and intellect that leaves him hopeless in this regard. He is having a hard time in finding solid grounds to affirm his intuition because he is well aware of the fact that the apparition of his dad could most possibly be a demonic presence who is but striving to manipulate his innate turmoil and commotion to blur his intelligence and like a rider endeavoring to pull his reins to direct his actions to his doom. On the other hand, he is also aware that people are also but life-long players and believing their gestures is nothing less than turning a blind eye towards reality. Thus, he is left in a state of confusion with no way out of this ‘Daedalus maze’. During the scene in which one of those invited players starts to deliver the speech of Hecuba, Hamlet is left pondering as he begins questioning the reality even more. The way, that player is able to reflect such intense emotions of “passion and force his soul”…show more content…
This speech is, indeed, carefully chosen as its content has its bearing on his own position as well; it depicts the vengeance taken from Priam, by Pyrrhus for his dead father, Achilles. Consequently, the situation painted in the given speech resonates with the dilemma faced by Hamlet himself; he also considers killing Claudius as means of his vengeance but alas, owing to little concrete evidence, his heart denies to feel the same way. Hence, Hamlet can be seen committed to his ‘search arc’ throughout the play as he covets for “grounds more relative than the word of a spectre” (2.2.592-593) to make his heart believe his “course” too. (2.2.587). What he pities the most is that he, unwillingly, is left playing an ‘act’ himself. Unable to act the way he is, Hamlet, “like a whore”, is bound to “unpack his heart with words and fall a-cursing like a very drab” (2.2.574-575). He illustrates his behavior as much unlikeable and unworthy as he can and considers his ‘act’ of buying the lies of other human beings, specifically Claudius’, nothing less than that of a whore. Since, he holds nothing material to rationalize his truly intended actions, he is, in fact, restrained and bound to go wherever the wind drives him. For him, talking, pondering and generating ill-thoughts in his mind for Claudius, while presenting a manufactured composure in front of him, is totally fake.

    More about The Incompetence In Hamlet's 'Speech Of Hecuba'

      Open Document