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The Dionysian

 

            
             In William Shakespeare's Hamlet, several theories abound as to why Hamlet delays and altogether cancels his vengeance for his father's death. It is possible that he continues to fear that the ghost of his father is only a devilish villain who is wrongly leading him down a bloodthirsty path of revenge. Perhaps also it is regicide that he fears, and he wants to be sure of his uncle's guilt before he takes any action. Additionally, it could be Hamlet's Christian morality that causes the hesitation, for this religion teaches the principles of forgiveness and does not condone revenge. All of these factors contribute to Hamlet's hesitation, yet in their totality, they are not the essential causation for his unwillingness. The reason behind his inability to take action is that he is the embodiment of Friederich Nietsche's concept of the Dionysian man. Hamlet does not let passion rule his actions, reason and moderation rule supreme. His mind struggles to reach decisions, and he is very cautious about the serious task at hand. He is an intellectual aristocrat, a scholar, a thinker; he ponders weighty matters and is not disenchanted by the superficiality of life on earth. Hamlet dares to ask the questionWhy?? and will not accept the status quo. It is in this sense that he is the very essence of Dionysian.
             Hamlet's initial hesitation for avenging his father's death is caused by his skepticism about the apparition of his father. He is plagued by his father's foul and most unnatural murder? and the royal bed becominga couch for luxury and damned incest?, yet his mind is weighed down from the grief of this revelation, his mother's overhasty marriage, and the appearance of this phantom. At first he is full of fire to avenge the murder of his father, but he quickly realizes the heavy charge of the duty of revenge given to him and says,The time is out of joint. O cursed spite / That ever I was born to set it right!? Hamlet is not a rash individual and naturally contemplates the effects of if he were to act.


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