Society conditions men to act to a certain standard to meet ideals of masculinity. To be considered masculine, men must honor their family through action, often in the form of revenge. However, it creates an expectation of revenge and violence in society, which leads men to feel insecure if they do not actively act for honor. In Shakespeare's play Hamlet, the deep obligation to seek revenge causes Hamlet's internal conflict with masculinity, as he wants to honor his father through action, but questions whether he has the strength to do so. Therefore, masculinity ideals create a cycle of violence as action is linked to masculinity, so men act to contribute to an image of masculinity without benefiting from the ultimate cause of insecurity: honor. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay After the death of his father, Hamlet grapples with the burden of avenging his father's murder by killing his uncle. His father returns as a ghost to tell Hamlet the truth about his murder and convince him to seek revenge. Hamlet Sr. explains, “If ever thy dear father loved… avenge his foul and unnatural murder.” Hamlet sees his father so well and feels so deeply that he has not been remembered enough to follow everything his father says. By describing the task of seeking revenge as a way to show “love,” Hamlet puts more pressure on Hamlet to show honor. This honor will show Hamlet's true masculinity and allow him to live up to his father's name. Hamlet's internal conflict with masculinity through play This pressure creates a struggle of insecurity for Hamlet as he ties his self-worth to his ability to seek revenge and therefore, behave in a masculine manner. Hamlet often subtly undermines his strength when contemplating revenge due to the insecurity resulting from the pressure of seeking revenge. For example, when Hamlet begins to plan the play for his uncle, he explains: “And yet I, / a dull and confused rascal, reach / as John-a-dreams, not pregnant with my cause, / and can say nothing... I am a coward?”. Shakespeare uses a simile to compare Hamlet to "John-a-dreams" or someone who only dreams and never acts. Therefore, Hamlet feels unmasculine, because he shows his insecurity of not taking any concrete action. Furthermore, he wonders if he is a coward, showing that he is not sure if he has the strength within him but is afraid to use it or if he is truly incapable of killing his uncle. Furthermore, Hamlet analyzes his uncle's character by undermining his strength “My father's brother, … no more like my father / Than I am to Hercules” (1.2 157-158). Hamlet sees his uncle as a complete disgrace to his family and a complete foil to his father. Therefore, Hamlet highlights how the great differences between these characters are the same as those that exist between Hamlet and a figure of strength, masculinity, and power. Shakespeare uses similes because they allow Hamlet to reference his insecurity without fully addressing it, as he can appear masculine on the outside by not showing weakness. Therefore, Hamlet feels profoundly unmasculine, but attempts to hide this by only subtly referencing it. Although Laertes and Hamlet lose their fathers and seek revenge, their ultimate ability to act demonstrates their relationship to masculinity. After losing both his father and sister, Laertes declares, "I will not" (4.7 159). His simple but motivated response demonstrates his desire for revenge and his ease in taking action. Although he receives external pressure to do so from Claudio, hismotivation to act comes from the desire to honor his relatives on his own initiative. Therefore, Laertes has a strong relationship with masculinity, as he does not associate his action with his own self-worth and chooses to act for others. In contrast, Hamlet acts passively, making excuses instead of killing his uncle. In the soliloquy of Act 4.4 of Hamlet, he states: "Now, whether it be / Bestial oblivion, or some vile scruple / Of thinking too closely of the event, / A thought which, quartered, has but a part of wisdom / and always three parts cowardice, I don't know." I know / Because I still live to say / "This thing must be done"; / Sith I have cause, will, strength and means / To do it. Hamlet recognizes that he is constantly pretending to think about killing his uncle when in reality he is making excuses out of fear. This serves as a contrast to Laertes' attitude, as Hamlet is reluctant to act while Laertes is determined and quick. Therefore, Hamlet struggles with masculinity as he creates a cycle: he wants to take action but struggles with his strength, which causes him to further delay taking action making him feel less masculine. Furthermore, Hamlet is pressured by his father to kill his uncle, and although this serves as motivation, in the end, Hamlet acts for himself, forcing him to associate his actions with his masculinity. If Hamlet had acted solely for his father's honor, he would have killed Claudius at the first opportunity. However, he constantly ponders whether he will have the strength to do so, as his thoughts are “three parts cowardly.” He seeks revenge because this will make him finally feel masculine, showing non-masculinity since he is not trying to honor his family like Laertes. Hamlet is ultimately motivated to act when he sees Fortinbras. Fortinbras tries to regain a plot of land taken from his father, his way of honoring his father and seeking revenge. Reflecting on Fortinbras' army, Hamlet explains: “To my shame I see / the imminent death of twenty thousand men / who by fancy and deceit of fame / go to their graves as beds, fight for a plot / on which numbers cannot attempt the cause, which is not enough tomb and continent/to hide the slain?” (4.4 62-68). Instead of not taking action due to his insecurity, he sees Fortinbras as a true representation of masculinity and strength and is motivated to take action. He will act to honor his father as Fortinbras. If so many men are willing to sacrifice themselves for the cause, he must be too. Therefore, Shakespeare uses Hamlet's Act 4.4 soliloquy as a turning point: where Hamlet truly accepts his duty to take revenge. Hamlet is pushed to act more like Fortinbras' representation of masculinity. Therefore, although all three men face the same struggle with the loss of their father, their response demonstrates their interpretation of masculinity. Masculinity creates a vicious cycle of violence as men seek actions to satisfy their insecurity, often resulting in actions that do little to further their cause. Hamlet reveals to Horatio that he had Rosencrantz and Guildenstern killed: “Because, man, they made love to this work. / They are not close to my conscience.” Hamlet feels no remorse for his childhood friends because Shakespeare uses irony because Hamlet kills people other than Claudius. His entire mission is to seek revenge, but he spends his time plotting the deaths of others whose ultimate goal was to help him. Therefore, Hamlet's feeling of non-masculinity causes him to act towards others. He acts, he realizes the ideal of the masculinity of action, but this does not serve his goal. Therefore, his fear and insecurity that lead him not to act towards his goals, lead him to act unnecessarily violent towards others, showing a cycle of violence created.