Thesis statement help on Hamlet

[Regs]

So I'm writing a 6- 7 page essay on why Hamlet decides to delay on taking vengeance out on his uncle Claudius who murdered his father.

This is only my rough draft, but as we all know the thesis statement is the most important part of the paper.

He is left with the ghost of his father taunting and beckoning him to seek vengeance, yet he delays and slips further into his own abyss of madness. The audience of the play is now left to puzzle over why he delays. With that in mind, there are a number of theories that explain and demonstrate the reasoning in why Prince Hamlet delays in his actions.

Would that be a suitable thesis statement?

 

[HomeBrewerDude]

what are the 'theories'?

My gut feeling is that that you should outline or draft out these theories, and after you have forced yourself to put them to pen, You may decide that your thesis wording could be improved to better reflect the substance of the essay.

Writing forces critical thinking, and you will probably find that you are better able to phrase your thesis AFTER you have spent some time writing about it.

 

[Regs]

Originally posted by: HomeBrewerDude
what are the 'theories'?

lymphatic temperament theory
Masochistic - Enjoys being tormented by the memories
Melancholy Thory - Too upset to do anything about it. Insanity
Perfectionist Theory - wants the perfect revenge

etc..

 

[Kibbo]

What about the "Hamlet is a pussy" theory? Certainly not my favorite, but it should be there.

Anyway, my staple through highschool is to slap down a big colon after my thesis and list the basic points. If you shorten up that sentence (which you should be able to do, since the thesis "there are theories" is pretty weak) the colon thing would do ok.

In fact, do you like one of the theories better than the others? Why not pick one and defend it against the others? Actually taking a position will automatically make the paper stronger.

 

[cirthix]

how about the hamlet want him to go to hell, go to hell and die theory?

 

[Kibbo]

Originally posted by: cirthix
how about the hamlet want him to go to hell, go to hell and die theory?

I've always thought that one was weak. It might have influenced his decision right at the moment of Hubris, but there were plenty of opportunities both before and after that scene.

 

[ed21x]

"With that in mind" is a pretty abrupt transition. Try omitting that phrase all together. or adding a smoother transition. "By observing the line of occurrences prior to the slaying of Claudius, several theories are revealed regarding Hamlet's delay in vengeance"

 

[OrganizedChaos]

hamlet wanted cladius to go to hell like is father. by killing him right after he repented he would be doing him a favor. hamlet didn't know cladius wasn't serious about repenting, so he had to wait for him to sin again.

 

[NikPreviousAcct]

Regs, your thesis statement is basically the summary of your entire paper all at once. If you could read your entire paper to someone in one single, precise, profound statement, what would it be?

...it would be your thesis statement

 

[Mucho]

Reading Hamlet in school left me with the impression he was an indecisive wishy washy pansy.

 

[NikPreviousAcct]

Funny, it left me with the impression that he was a cold, calculating, brilliant murderer.

 

[Injury]

Hamlet outlines his reasons in the famous "To be or not to be..." speech, I believe.

 

[Schadenfreude]

Instea of saying that there are many theories, why don't you say that there are many factors that he has to consider? Because when you state that there are many theories at hand, it makes it sound as if the theories have to be mutually exclusive - and you forgot one major factor there as well;

In the play, and no one says this out loud, but is Hamlet's ghost a mere extension of his madness, or a reality seeking retribution? You cannot say that his madness and the ghost of his father are mutually exclusive either. That's one of the most profound questions that the audience has to figure out.

And do your own homework. :thumbsdown:

 

[Ogg]

youre right..........you are an awful writer but with practice you can rock!!

You cant try to write a paper using words/phrases that sound "cool" when you say it out aloud............

"With that in mind, there are a number of theories that explain and demonstrate the reasoning in why Prince Hamlet delays in his actions."


Keep your sentence structure concise and clean. Dont fill it with gobbledygook!!

 

[cirthix]

Originally posted by: Ogg
youre right..........you are an awful writer but with practice you can rock!!

You cant try to write a paper using words/phrases that sound "cool" when you say it out aloud............

"With that in mind, there are a number of theories that explain and demonstrate the reasoning in why Prince Hamlet delays in his actions."


Keep your sentence structure concise and clean. Dont fill it with gobbledygook!!

sniff sniff... i smell the blood of an english teacher

 

[DaveSimmons]

"There are bunches of reasons" isn't a compelling thesis.

In my thesis I would list the specific reasons I planned to develop and support in the rest of the paper.

 

[Juice Box]

Originally posted by: Injury
Hamlet outlines his reasons in the famous "To be or not to be..." speech, I believe.

Incorrect... that speech is about his possible suicide... not his ideas about killing his Uncle