Is death comparable to the time of day? The inescapable coming of dawn and dusk is related to the unavoidable visit from the Grim Reaper. In my opinion, we can "rage, rage against the dying of the light" (Thomas 9), but to stop the sun is beyond human control. Shakespeare also correlates the relationship between life and light, as well as death and sleep in Hamlet in order to exemplify how little control his characters have in their plights. For example, Hamlet believes that his obligation to vengeance is beyond his control, which leads to his demise. Hamlet considers himself as a failure if he does not kill Claudius instantaneously, yet Hamlet feels that he must refrain from killing Claudius until he sees Claudius squirm with his burden of guilt. Torn between two sentiments, Hamlet's obsession with his own actions and Claudius's sins, advocates his feigned madness to become reality. Understanding when one has control over a situation allows one to avoid the crucible of indecision.
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