Follow TV Tropes

Following

Awesome / Hamlet

Go To

Hamlet is widely considered THE CMOA of the English-speaking world's fiction, but Awesome moments abound in it itself too.

  • When Laertes receives word of his father's death, he drops everything in Paris, immediately returns to Denmark, organizes a mob, storms the castle, and bursts into the King's chamber like awesome, ready to deliver some serious hardcore retribution to his father's murderer. Not to mention him killing Hamlet in their fight.
  • Hamlet's slaying of Claudius in the final scene.
    Hamlet: The point!—envenom'd too! Then, venom, to thy work. (Stabs Claudius)
  • Hamlet's letter explaining his MacGyvering an execution order for Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, and his escape from the ship.
  • The climax of the first scene of the final act, where Hamlet reveals himself to Laertes at Ophelia's funeral after having secretly returned home to Denmark. One of the greatest He's Back! moments in all of literature.
    Hamlet: What is he whose grief
    Bears such an emphasis? Whose phrase of sorrow
    Conjures the wandering stars, and makes them stand
    Like wonder-wounded hearers? This is I,
    Hamlet the Dane!
  • At Ophelia's funeral, Laertes asks the priest holding the ceremony if anything more can be done for the ceremony beyond simply burying Ophelia in a Christian grave with little fanfare. The priest not only says no, but has a huge Kick the Dog moment when he says that Ophelia's being buried in a Christian grave is an insult due to her likely suicide. He goes on to say that she should have been buried in unhallowed ground and, rather than pray for her, people should throw rocks on her grave as punishment for her 'sin'. Laertes gets good and pissed at this and rips the priest a new one, telling him that he not only thinks that Ophelia will be in heaven, but that the priest himself will go to hell. Keep in mind, back then you never said things like this to the clergy:
    Laertes: I tell thee, churlish priest,
    A ministering angel shall my sister be,
    When thou liest howling.
  • In their duel (though it can vary how much depending on the production), Hamlet beats Laertes comprehensively, and the latter only gets Hamlet when they switch blades. The duel itself can be pretty awesome in some productions, such as the David Tennant or Kenneth Branagh versions.
  • The David Tennant version has a dying Hamlet wrestle Horatio for the goblet of poisoned wine, managing to toss it away. As Horatio breaks down, Hamlet uses the last of his strength to comfort his best friend, to reassure him he's fine with death.

Top