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“Hamlet and His Problems,” T. S. Eliot makes the claim that Shakespeare’s play Hamlet is “an artistic failure.” Why does he make this claim?

User Ferrybig
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Answer:

In "Hamlet and His Problems," T. S. Eliot makes the claim that Shakespeare's play Hamlet is "an artistic failure" because he believes that the character of Hamlet is too internally conflicted and does not drive the action of the play. Eliot argues that the play is based on the "indecisive melancholy" of the titular character and that this lack of action and resolution makes the play ultimately unsuccessful as a work of art.

Eliot also criticizes the character of Hamlet for being too introspective and self-absorbed, stating that "the character of Hamlet, with all his undoubted genius, is an artistic failure." Eliot believes that this focus on the inner thoughts and feelings of the character detracts from the overall coherence and unity of the play.

Overall, Eliot's critique of Hamlet centers on his belief that the character's indecisiveness and lack of action make the play aesthetically flawed and ultimately unsuccessful as a work of art.

User Joseph Webber
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