A Pair of Ragged Claws

What if Hamlet hadn’t died or killed? What if Hamlet- old and alive- made by thought one part wise yet three parts coward, had instead sat to watch the yellow fog fall asleep every soft October night of his life, with the excuse that there will be time? Had Shakespeare not chosen to make the final scene of his play resemble more a works day at a slaughterhouse more than anything else, Hamlet could have well turned out to be J. Alfred Prufrock.

It is true that both characters are eternally conflicted by thought.  Both verbalize their concern: Hamlet by the way of soliloquies and Prufrock in an afflicted stream of consciousness. Perhaps they are unaware of the ruthless irony found in their prolonged consideration of prolonged consideration.  Perhaps not. “Whether it be Bestial oblivion, or some craven scruple Of thinking too precisely on the event” (Act 4 Sc.4) or “a perfume from a dress that makes me [him] so digress” it is thought which they hold responsible for their inactivity.

Hamlet is young, Prufrock old. This marks a big difference in their stances, for Hamlet reprimands himself for his passivity, while Prufrock has let go hope and does not look back with anger, rather with gloom. Fear, nevertheless, is a shared cause of their stasis. J. Alfred asks himself “Do I dare disturb the universe?”  and Hamlet “To be or not to be?” The thought of trouble, life, action, is too intimidating. They both ask themselves if it (to take arms against a sea of troubles) is worthy after all. Life is too painful, disappointments too abundant. Hamlet desires relief from decisions (to die, to sleep) because he dares not to think of the consequences. Prufrock, as an eventual Hamlet, simply surrenders. Both men see their shameful figures as shadows in a wall, and they regret.

 But in short, they were afraid.