Hamlet Essay. Take 2

In Hamlet, characters think, and speak before they act. They talk to themselves, and to their audience about what has taken place, what they are thinking, and what they are planning. Hamlet's ability to plan, and to hear others plan gives the plot new directions and twists that would not take place without performative utterance. In that way, "self-overhearing" allows all people to hear our own plans before taking action. Just as in Hamlet, it gives us the opportunity to evaluate our positions, and ideas, and motivations.

In Hamlet, our main character is stuck between action, and inaction. He wants to take revenge but can't seem to decide how to go about doing it. He talks about it. He tells his audience his plans, and we learn more about his mental state and about the ideas that Hamlet has as he plots revenge. We over hear Hamlet making up his mind, changing it, and becoming more determined with his actions. We in our own lives do the same thing. We think. We act, then when it may not work out, we act again after making an assessment as to why the action didn't work out. That is what self overhearing does. It allows for corrections, and realizations.

Hamlet's ability to hear others plan, or rather for the audience to hear other characters plan allowed performative utterance to become a character of it's own. The words spoken by the characters were more important that what the characters did, what they said in exchange with one another determined whether or not they would act on their self overheard resolutions. The conversations with other characters in the play, allowed the plot to turn in different directions and change in ways that it would not have, had it not been for the words exchanged.

Through self-over hearing, one can discover a better, and truer sense of self. A sense that is independent of others influence. Through the performative utterance of Hamlet, the main character's self discovery became more imperative as he made decisions, and interacted with other characters in the play. This allowed the plot to twist, and the story to change in ways it otherwise would not have if others had not attempted to influence the characters through their words and authority.