Horatio, My Man!

                Horatio is a man’s man.  He possesses loyalty and is a liegeman to Hamlet.  He is good humored and is intelligent.  His scholarly position serves as suspense of disbelief for the audience when the ghost of the king enters the stage.  Horatio epitomizes a faithful friend and throughout the entire play, he only questions Hamlet’s actions once.             

                Hamlet’s action, though, should not serve as an inspiration to boys and men, especially in the way he treats Ophelia.  Rather, Horatio’s character should serve as a foil to Hamlet’s character in such a way that Horatio virtues should strike the chords of a guy’s heart.  Throughout the play, Hamlet’s whimsical behavior conjures stern consequences.  Hamlet had to stab Polonius right then and there.  Hamlet had to board the pirate ship and prepare a death sentence for Rosencrantz and Guildenstern.  Hamlet had to jump into the grave of Ophelia.  Horatio is more of a logical thinker, which helps balances his actions. 

                Therefore, Horatio’s status is more of an observer throughout the play and does not partake in much of the action.  Though he does not meddle in the affairs, he does not flee from them.  While Hamlet is much of a pain to be friends with, with all of his anger, depression, and craziness, Horatio still loves him.  The only time Horatio questions Hamlet is when Hamlet provides for the death of Rosencrantz of Guildenstern.  But what would Horatio have done if his father was murdered and then his mother married the murderer.  Moreover, what would he have done if his father visited him as a ghost and told him to avenge the murderer even while the murderer plans to kill him, too, and turns all of his friends into spies?  Horatio’s actions may have not been far from Hamlet’s actions if the same events were to befall upon Horatio.  In the end, though, Hamlet finally demonstrates his love for Horatio, too, when he asks Horatio to truthfully record the events of his life after his death.