Abstract:Hamlet is a representative tragedy written by Shakespeare, and the tragic fate of Hamlet is worth thinking. Hamlet’s delay is still under discussion today. This paper aims to study Hamlet’s delay in his understanding of humanity, his response to Claudius’s penitence and his thinking of suicide. Through the analysis of the causes of Hamlet’s delay, the author comes to the conclusion that as a joint result of the social environment, the religious factor, the weakness in Hamlet’s character and his Oedipus complex, Hamlet delays in the revenge for his father, thus suffering a great tragedy under the oppression of the ideal and reality.

Key words: Hamlet; delay; revenge

CONTENTS

摘要

Abstract

1. Introduction1

1.1 Introduction to Shakespeare 

  1.2 Introduction to Hamlet

2. Hamlet’s Delay as Shown in the Play.2

2.1 Delay in the Understanding of Humanity

2.2 Delay in His Response to Claudius’s Penitence

2.3 Delay in the Issue of Suicide

3. Causes of His Delay.5

  3.1 External Causes

  3.1.1 Social Environment

  3.1.2 Religious Factor

  3.2 Internal Causes

  3.2.1 Weakness in His Character

  3.2.2 Oedipus Complex

4.Conclusion9

Bibliography.11

Acknowledgments12