I’ve always found it interesting that Hamlet and Mercutio’s deaths could ultimately reverse their closest friend’s strongest character trait.
Starting with Horatio: Through all the death and drama that tears Hamlet up inside, it is important that Horatio is “not passion’s slave”. He is the one able to think clearly and hold it together when Hamlet can’t and it makes sense that during Hamlet’s death he would try to kill himself out of some sense of duty. However I like the idea that Hamlet’s death could switch Horatio from a level-headed stoic to a sobbing shuddering mess completely unprepared to live without Hamlet.
Benvolio is the pacifist and voice of reason for the ill-tempered Mercutio. At Mercutio’s death Benvolio’s “brave Mercutio is dead” is usually delivered with sadness and meek regret. What I really wanna see is a Benvolio who, upon seeing his best friend die in his arms, forgets every reason he ever wanted to be peaceful. This is a Benvolio who would walk straight past Romeo, gaze set, ready to fight Tybalt himself until Romeo pulls him back.
The idea that these characters’ entire establishing trait could become something so flimsy when faced with tragedy is.. incredible
Today’s DAILY SNACK provided by: @shakespeerintomysoul who wrote this meta and who I am shamelessly reblogging it from.
This reminds me of a post I read that suggests that the real tragedy of Othello and Hamlet is that the protagonists are respectively trapped in the wrong play:
- If Othello were in Hamlet’s situation, he’d kill Claudius quickly, efficiently, and with soldierly precision. No fuss, no dithering. Just action.
- Whereas if Hamlet were presented with Iago’s poisonous lies, he would be incredibly suspicious, doubtful, thoughtful, and prepared to do ALL the necessary research before enacting any sort of vengeance on Desdemona.
If Shakespearean tragedy really is its own unique form, then I think it could be (simplistically) defined as the tragedy of living in the wrong world.
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