eed, but evaluating it even more (Bloom, 66). Coleridge and Goethewould agree with this, holding that Hamlet's soul is too philosophicaland it lacks ability to instinctually act on impulse, and that he is"too sensitive to avenge himself" (Grebanier, 159). But if one onlyreads what goes on in the play, Hamlet could by no means be called toosensitive or passive. After the Ghost appears, he ignores the fears ofhis friends, is strong enough to break off their restraining hold, andfollows the ghastly apparition. In the Queen's closet he follows hisimpulse and puts his sword to action. In the battle with the pirateship, he manages to win over the whole crew without anyone's help. Heis known in the kingdom as a brilliant fencer, and shows his skill inthe match with Laertes, after which he is able to cut the king and takethe glass of poison from Horatio's hand, all that while dying of deadlypoison. What then is the reason for his delay of action? DidShakespeare make it on purpose so that he can fill the five long acts?(Grebanier, 115).Hamlet is very brave and impulsive Prince, but theplot seems to prevent him from finding an "external model or a simplesolution for conduct," so that he must depend more on thinking, andless on acting (Stratford, 105). He realizes that killing a King is agreat crime. In seventeenth century, kings have divinity about them,and hurting a king from that period cannot compare to hurting apolitician today. The proof of this is in the last scene - even afterLaertes speaks out and lets everyone that was present know that thematch and poison were only King's plan, the crowd yells, as if havingan instinct to defend their King: "Treason! Treason!" (Shakespeare,27). Even if it wasn't that punishable to assassinate the King, Hamletwould still not kill him in the church. He might have taken the swordout, but one thing then went through his mind: " If King is murdered,the truth is murdered too, and King Hamlet's assassination wo...
