Hamlet’s primary mentioning of greatness occurs in Line 53, when Hamlet utilizes the word “great” to mean honorable. Hamlet relates that “rightly to be great” is to be willing to defend oneself when one “honor’s at the stake”. Hamlet’s focus on his honor is directly reflective of his low-self esteem, which stems from his overwhelming guilt brought on by Hamlet’s passivity. In the next line, Hamlet uses the word “great” to entail something that is meaningful. The prince portrays that being honorable is not “to stir”, or seek violence, without a meaningful purpose for doing so. Yet, Hamlet admits in the following line that greatness is having the ability to take action when “honor’s at the stake”. Throughout these few lines, Hamlet depicts what it means to be great by defining to the reader when one should “find quarrel” and when one should not ; it comes down to honor. Hamlet makes a conscious decision to avenge his father’s death so that he himself can prove to be great when his honor is on the
Hamlet’s primary mentioning of greatness occurs in Line 53, when Hamlet utilizes the word “great” to mean honorable. Hamlet relates that “rightly to be great” is to be willing to defend oneself when one “honor’s at the stake”. Hamlet’s focus on his honor is directly reflective of his low-self esteem, which stems from his overwhelming guilt brought on by Hamlet’s passivity. In the next line, Hamlet uses the word “great” to entail something that is meaningful. The prince portrays that being honorable is not “to stir”, or seek violence, without a meaningful purpose for doing so. Yet, Hamlet admits in the following line that greatness is having the ability to take action when “honor’s at the stake”. Throughout these few lines, Hamlet depicts what it means to be great by defining to the reader when one should “find quarrel” and when one should not ; it comes down to honor. Hamlet makes a conscious decision to avenge his father’s death so that he himself can prove to be great when his honor is on the