Essay Plan

Is Hamlet a hero or a villain.

There is obviously a lot of room to include tragedy into this essay question.
I plan to produce an essay that sections down all the relationships Hamlet has in the play with other characters, rather than particular events that happen. I will discuss Hamlet's love life with Ophelia, his family life with his Mother, his conflict with Claudius and his encounter with his ghost of a father.
I will talk about how Hamlet treats each character and whether or not there is justification for him being a hero or villain in his behavior and thoughts. I will do this by backing each point up with evidence from the text.

Paragraph 1 - Relationship with Ophelia - I will discuss if Hamlet was good for Ophelia or whether or not he was the soul momentum to drive her to her death, or if he was the only joy in her life, therefore bringing it back to the question... is he a hero or villain?

Paragraph 2 - How he deals with his Mother - I will talk about how Hamlet deals with the treachery that his mother undertook. Does it make him a hero or a villain if he decides to simply agree with his mother?

Paragraph 3 - The Ghost - Is respect for his father and revenge enough to warrant him a hero. Or is killing simply Hamlet being aggressive and evil? Or is it an eye for an eye?

Paragraph 4 - Claudius - Why did he take so long to murder? Was it a grasp at fame perhaps or just to create more tragedy?

Conclude.