Hamlet is a revenge tragedy written by William Shakespeare in which Hamlet is depicted as Shakespeare's tragic hero due to his flaw of indecision and inability to take action along with deep self-doubt, these are significant factors which ultimately lead to his downfall. The characters and the plays events significantly impact Hamlet constantly pushing him towards vengeance. Hamlet’s uncertainty between action and inaction are a direct result of the character’s sense of obligation and convenience. Hamlets toying with madness and indecision resolve in tragedy.

Hamlet and his behaviours that are neither actions or inactions symbolise the fundamental flaw in his character, indecision. The beginning of Hamlet’s journey for revenge is displayed through the use of death imagery in Act 1, Scene 5, when the Ghost tells Hamlet, “Revenge his foul and most unnatural murder”. Hamlet’s instructions to avenge his father's death represents an essential moment in the plot as the play then begins to focus around revenge and justice. Hamlet’s most honest and fatal character weakness is exposed. That weakness being his major inability to take decisive action. This inaction is shown in Hamlet’s first conversation with the Ghost, Hamlet shows his persistence to pursue revenge for his father’s death “Haste me to know’t, that I with wings as swift as meditation or the thoughts of love, may sweep to my revenge.” (1.5.29) This supports the concept of a determined Hamlet corrupted with desperate human emotions. Laertes opposes the concept of inaction when it comes to revenge as he represents determination and strength, “That both the worlds I give to negligence, let come what comes, only I’ll be revenged most thoroughly for my father” (4.5). Laertes also declares his commitment to revenge and that he desires revenge at any cost which can be seen when he vows ‘to cut his throat I’ th’