Hamlet – Behavior and The True Self

Hamlet’s agitation is a potent emotion that is conveyed to us in the first moment of his introduction in Shakespeare’s play of the same name. We recognize his deep sorrow over the death of his father, the disgust with his mother’s marriage so soon after, and his anger at the turn of events. However, Hamlet believes that none of these external expressions of his feelings match his inner despair. “’Tis not alone my inky cloak, good-mother, nor customary suits of solemn black, nor windy suspiration of forced breath, no, not the fruitful river in the eye, nor the dejected haviour of the visage, together with all forms, moods, shows of grief that can denote me truly. These indeed ‘seem’, for they are actions that a man might play; but I have within which passeth show – These but the trappings and the suits of woe.” (1.2.76-86) This sense of a disconnect between the visible personality and invisible untouchable core of man is witnessed throughout the play. 

When Hamlet is beckoned by the ghost and seeks to follow, his guardsmen try to persuade him otherwise. However, Hamlet tells his men that he is not afraid to lose his life and his soul cannot be harmed by the ghost, thus suggesting two parts to himself. “Why, what should be the fear? I do not set my life at a pin’s fee, and for my soul, what can it do to that, being a thing immortal as itself?” (1.4.45-48) Earlier when Horatio is greeted by Barnardo with the question, “Say- what, is Horatio there?” Horatio replies, “A piece of him,” (1.1.16-17) implying that the external appearance of man is not the whole man. 

If we deem the externals of a man as his body and his behavior, then we see that a person is recognized and identified by these two features. However, throughout the play we hear references to how behavior may be modified to appear a certain way to the observers, which suggests that any identity can be adopted by an individual. When Hamlet learns of the nature of his father’s death he plans revenge and warns his men that if they see him behaving in a way that is different from what they have been used to, then they should not be concerned, nor reveal that they are aware of something about him. (1.5.171-181) However, will Hamlet’s changed demeanor appear as afflictions of the mind, a temporary madness, only because people have become used to seeing a certain kind of behavior from Hamlet, and therefore taken that to be his nature? This seems to come across from King Claudius’s words to RosenCratz and Guildenstern, “Something have you heard of Hamlet’s transformation – so I call it, since not th’exterior nor the inward man resembles what it was.” (2.2.4-7) Hamlet has always appeared a certain way to his observers, but is that behavior Hamlet, or just Hamlet’s behavior? The latter would mean that there is more to Hamlet than his behavior.

We also see a discussion about behavior and true nature in a speech by Polonius to his son Laertes. (1.3.55-81) When Laertes takes leave of Polonius before leaving for France, the latter gives him advice on how to conduct himself so as to leave the right impression on people he meets. However, in that same speech Polonius also tells Laertes to be true to himself. This speech gives us a model for behavior and then suggests that this behavior would naturally flow if one was true to oneself. “This above all – to thine own self be true, and it must follow, as the night the day, thou canst not then be false to any man.” (1.3.78-80) What is the need to give these pointers to proper behavior unless Polonius believes that Laertes may be influenced to act wrongfully. If the true self will guide him to right action, what will tempt him to negative behavior? Here we see a suggestion that man’s actions can be influenced by inside and outside forces. According to Polonius, the inside forces will always be a positive influence. We also see the suggestion here that behavior and the self are connected and yet separated.

Behavior can be a pretense that belies the urges of the soul. When Hamlet prepares himself to meet his mother he cautions himself against revealing his true feelings about her actions. “O heart, lose not thy nature! Let not ever the soul of Nero enter this firm bosom. Let me be cruel, not unnatural. I will speak daggers to her, but use none. My tongue and soul in this be hypocrites – How in my words somever she be shent, to give them seals never my soul consent.” (3.3.363.367) Behavior can also be a departure from the soul’s promptings. Hamlet shows his mother how she has acted in a way that she herself, in her deepest core, does not accept as proper behavior. “Oh Hamlet, speak no more! Thou turn’st mine eyes into my very soul, and there I see such black and grained spots as will not leave their tinct.” (3.4.78-81) 

Behavior can also be a product of repetition. In Hamlet’s advice to his mother to “assume a virtue if you have it not” (3.4.151) he is suggesting that one can pretend to be what one is not, and in stating that “for use almost can change the stamp of nature,” (3.4.151.10) he is suggesting that man’s nature can be changed if he acts a certain way repeatedly. Thus, if one keeps acting virtuously then one becomes virtuous. However, this contradicts Polonius’ contention that model behavior comes from the true self of man. 

Hamlet is speaking of a process of becoming, while Polonius is speaking of a completed state of man. Are they speaking of the same aspect of man, or are there two parts to man? Is there a part of man, which is separate from his soul, that can be influenced by outside forces, and is that the part that governs behavior in man? If this is so, then Hamlet’s passions and Hamlet’s courage are the manifestations of these two parts.