The Universal Inner Struggle Revealed in Hamlet Life is defined by the struggles it presents to us. Without these constant tests of our fortitude, we would never grow into mature human beings. This is the one common denominator that connects all people, past, present and future. It is no mystery why our literature and art reflect this characteristic. Creating a character is the mirror image of a human being. Shakespeare understood this truth perfectly. He created Hamlet, Claudius, Polonius, and many other characters to reflect life and in this way entertain and educate his audience. Shakespeare's absolute goal may have simply been to make money, but along the way he sculpted beautiful characters full of human qualities. In particular, Hamlet, the Prince of Denmark, has the universal theme of internal struggle. Furthermore, he also shows a fervent desire to correct his situation, an attitude that is easy to sympathize with. These two aspects of Hamlet make him one of Shakespeare's most likable and understandable characters. The reader (or audience) wants to identify with his thoughts and actions. Throughout the play, the audience gets a voyeuristic look at Hamlet's internal struggle. This access allows the reader to see a quality in Hamlet that he has within himself: a deeper consciousness. While not everyone faces issues of murder and incest, each person has individual struggles that they hold within them, just as Hamlet struggles with his difficulties. Watching Hamlet deal with his problems is cathartic for the reader. One of the most powerful scenes occurs when Hamlet gets the chance to stealthily kill Claudius; however, the Ki...... in the center of the paper......Hamlet, as a character? Because he's just like us. He may be from another time and place, but his struggles mirror our own, and his need to make everything right echoes in our desires. Hamlet, the prince of Denmark, is a universal symbol of our difficulties and the measures we take to overcome them. Works Cited Boklund, Gunnar. "Hamlet." Essays on Shakespeare. Ed. Gerald Chapmann. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1965. Epstein, Norrie. "One of the victims of fate." Readings on Hamlet. Ed. Don Nardò. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1999. Rpt. by The Friendly Shakespeare: a painless outfit for the bard's best. New York: Viking Penguin, 1993. p. 332-34.Gordon, Edward J. Introduction to Tragedy. Rochelle Park, NJ: Hayden Book Co., Inc., 1973.Shakespeare, William. Hamlet. Ed. TJB Spencer. New York: Penguin, 1996.