~ “All the world’s a stage,/And all the men and women merely players;/They have their exits and their entrances,/And one man in his time plays many parts,/His acts being seven ages.” (William Shakespeare) ~
There is a major difference between sympathy and empathy. There is a major difference between comprehending and connecting. So if you were to ask me, “How do you feel about Hamlet and the situation he is in?” I would answer, “I sympathize and can comprehend what position he is in.” We have only read a portion of the play so far, but already Hamlet is in a bit of a mess. His dad was dead at the beginning, and so Hamlet came home to mourn for him and claim the crown, only to find his mother married to his uncle and Denmark in a party state. Then, to add to his troubles, he sees the ghost of his father, who claims he was murdered by his brother. Not knowing whether to trust the ghost, and not being able to trust his former friends or girlfriend, Hamlet is awfully alone. With the exception of Horatio, Hamlet has no one to turn to, not even his own mother. This is enough to make anyone depressed or go mad- this I can sympathize with, As for empathy, I have no idea what it would be like to be in Hamlet’s shoes.
If I were placed in Hamlet’s position, of course I would doubt what the ghost was telling me and asking me to do. I would be suspicious, because back then going to heaven or hell after death was a huge issue, and murder would cause someone to go to hell. So, why would my father, someone who has guided me my whole life and encouraged me to make positive decisions, pave for me the way to hell? And of course, the ghost is assuming the physical appearance of my father, so how could I deny him of my service? It seems to me like the ghost is the first thing that happens to Hamlet that makes rest of the play into a tragedy. So if I were Hamlet, I would consider long and hard about what the ghost is asking of him to decide what action is appropriate. In my opinion, Hamlet has done this- it isn’t quite procrastination.
Although I do not have an understanding of the meaning behind Hamlet’s thoughts and actions, I do appreciate his words written through Shakespeare. A monologue I particularly enjoyed is where the famous “To be or not to be” quote comes from. In the video below, I recited his words.
By: 
By: Tyler on April 24, 2008 
