Hamlet and Arjuna: An Exploration of Twinned Karmic Crisis

SB Veda, 11 Bharat Chandra Road,

Contributing Editor, Deshapriya Park
The Global Calcuttan/ Kolkata - 700029
Writer-in-Residence, (m) 9674704929 / 8910790374;
Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture email: sbveda.writer@gmail.com
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Inner conflict and existential crisis torment the protagonists of two of the most highly read works of
literature in the world: Prince Hamlet in William’s Shakespeare’s, The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of
Denmark, and the great hero, Arjuna of Sage Vyasa’s The Mahabharata.
Act I of Shakespeare’s Hamlet depicts the prince as being consumed by malaise, mourning the death of
his “most excellent” father, King of Denmark. When confronted with the knowledge that his uncle
Claudius has usurped the throne by killing his father, the path set for Hamlet by the ghost of the erstwhile
king is clear: he must avenge the injustice and take back the throne. But Claudius is not only King, he is
also kin; added to the conflict is a layer of complexity, for his mother must too have been complicit in the
plot, having married Claudius within one short month of her husband’s death. The cause laid down by the
apparition of Hamlet’s father is just. Still, Hamlet is divided against himself at the prospect of spilling the
blood of family.
Similarly, Prince Arjuna, tasked with commanding the armies of his elder brother, Yudisthira, as the plot
of the epic Mahabharata sets for its bloody climax, finds himself unable to charge into battle. Positioned
on the opposite side are his cousins, uncles, his most noble grand uncle, Bhishma and his teacher and
mentor, Dronacharya. His heart racing, hands shaking and bow slipping from his hands, in the moment he
is called to action, he sits tremulant – and, utterly impotent. His cause, too, is just: the kingdom having
been stolen through trickery by his cousin Duryodhona, and back from exile and humiliation, the prince
leads troops into battle to reclaim the birthright of his elder brother. Yet he wonders what good can
ultimately come of spilling family blood for worldly gain, killing among the treacherous, dutiful and
honourable men. He asks what, indeed, differentiates him from his enemy in that respect. The questions
lead to a philosophical discourse with his charioteer and guide, Krishna and forms the philosophical core
of the epic.
The global popularity of Hamlet and Arjuna likely lies in their relatability. Both are moved to do their
duty, yet the price of acting seems too high. They desire an outcome that necessarily calls for killing but
are averse to bloodying their hands. At the heart of this conflict comes an existential crisis, both
questioning whether life has any deeper meaning: is there any point to living? Such introspection is
common to the many for whom the characters are identifiable.
In the essay to be considered, Hamlet and Arjuna’s common crisis of action or Karma will be analysed
using philosophical, psychological, historical and literary frames of reference. A modern version of Act I
of Hamlet will be annexed to the exposition, and certain global adaptations will be discussed.