hamlet's delay
... somewhat resolved after writing the play. Hamlet comes up with the idea of the play that is similar to the events retold by the ghost about his murder to prove that Claudius is guilty or innocent. Due to the king's reaction to the play, Hamlet begins to believe that the Ghost was telling the truth the night of the apparition. In Hamlets mind, it is now his duty to avenge his father's murder. This is where the real problem of procrastination enters the play. Later that night, Hamlet has a perfect opportunity to kill Claudius, when he comes across the king kneeling in prayer. He wonders if this is the time to kill him and get it over with, but decides not to. He claims that he does not want Claudius to go to heaven, so he would rather kill him when he is committing a sin. If this is the case, then why doesn't he simply wait till Claudius has completed his prayer, accuse him of the murder and kill him in his sin of denial. Instead, Hamlet goes to the chamber of his mother and passes up his best opportunity at revenge. The argument can be made, however, that it is not a fear of killing that causes this delay. He does not show an inability to end someone's life when killing Polonius. He also doesn’t in sending Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to their executions. Why then would Hamlet hesitate in killing the one man he could justify killing? In fact, every time he has an opportunity to act, he counteracts with some sort of doubt. For example, he wants his revenge on Claudius to take place only when he can be sure he will go to hell and not heaven. Furthermore, he spends too much time planning and not enough time doing. He plans the play within a play, but seeks no immediate action upon its completion. Instead he becomes more careful around Claudius after the play because it revealed his guilt to the king. After the play within the play, Hamlet does not act until everybody is dying, including himself. Only in this final tragic moment does he realize that he sh...