Hussain 1

Zahin Hussain
Smit
12 AP English
6th Hour
26 April 2016
I Cant Understand You Unless Youre Talking To Yourself:
A Synthesis Between Hamlet and The Catcher in the Rye
Holden and Hamlet, from The Catcher in the Rye and Hamlet respectively, are rather
volatile characters. It is improbable and almost impossible to define either of their various
motivations and decision-making capabilities based solely on their actions. Hamlet, for example,
is one moment a madman and in the next moment a logician. Similarly, Holden is socially adept
in some circumstances and socially awkward in other circumstances. In order to analyze these
characters, we require statements that are filtered from the muddiness that their inconsistent
actions create. By allowing their characters to speak freely when alone, Shakespeare and
Salinger argue that only through a soliloquy or stream of consciousness, respectively, can a
persons mental establishment and belief system truly be uncovered.
In Hamlets soliloquy by Fortinbras army, we truly begin to understand what keeps
Hamlet towards his path of revenge and vengeance: Rightly to be great Is not to stir without
great argument, But greatly to find quarrel in a straw (Shakespeare 4.4.53-55). Hamlet is not
only seeking vengeance through his fathers requests, but he is also seeking vengeance on the
basis of honor and chivalry. However, these motivations, which are almost completely based in
either emotion, or in the case of honor and chivalry, peer pressure, leave Hamlet in a strange

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place. If he was so devoted to this idea of chivalry and his fathers memories, then what are we to
make of his inability to kill Claudius? It seems that Hamlet is also driven by a secondary
motivation, which we can attribute to intelligence. While bravery and devotion are a great part of
Hamlets constitution, so too are his beliefs in logic and intelligence. The beauty of the soliloquy
as a whole testifies to this fact. It is a soliloquy of beautiful words, double meanings, and
intelligent design. Furthermore, Hamlet himself is quoted to say that A thought which,
quartered, hath but one-part wisdom (4.4.41-42). Which is to say, he is three parts coward and
one-part wisdom. Hamlet is in a tug of war between his affiliation with both logic and emotion.
In general, Hamlets affiliation with logic leads him to making decisions that further alienate him
from killing Claudius. Instances such as when Hamlet creates a play to catch Claudius redhanded or when Hamlet decides not to kill Claudius while he is praying, only delay Hamlets
revenge. This dichotomy between emotion and chivalry, and logic and intelligence, explains
many of Hamlets interactions that had previously been muddied by mad behavior.
In his stream of consciousness, Holden states what he thinks he would do if someone
robbed him of his possessions: I'd probably go down to the can and sneak a cigarette and watch
myself getting tough in the mirror (Salinger, 48). Holden believes that he, himself, is a coward.
By using terms such as sneak and probably Holden shows both his values of undecidedness
and cowardice. Furthermore, by watching himself get tough in the mirror, Holden exposes his
own belief that he is a deceitful person. However, there seems to be more than just yellowness,
as Holden calls it, to his character. Holden, in the same monologue, mentions that because he is
uncomfortable with fist fights, he would rather push a guy out the window or chop his head off
with an axe than sock him in the jaw (48). There is something

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more sinister than cowardly in Holdens belief that he would rather gruesomely cut a person head
off than punch them in the face. Holdens hypothetical attack by decapitation is calculated, but it
is not logical. The sinister feeling that such a statement gives off deals with the sheer amount of
more realistic and societally efficient choices. Holden chooses the most extreme and the most
consequential choice. Holdens volatile nature in reference to socially awkward situations tends
to explain the bad choices that he has made. He unconsciously carries out inefficient choices in
times of stress.
Hamlets and Holdens soliloquy and stream of consciousness, respectively, allows us to
have a glimpse of the society that formed their specific mental architectures. Moreover, we can
link the societys traits with the Hamlet and Holdens traits. Hamlet and Holden lie at opposite
ends of the spectrum in terms of how each of their societies affects their decision making
capabilities. As mentioned before, Hamlets motivation is primarily pushed forward by the ideals
of chivalry and honor. Chivalry and honor are two laws that are completely ingrained in Hamlets
time period. A proper example of such a propagated idea is when Hamlet observes The
imminent death of twenty thousand men That for a fantasy and trick of fame (4.4.60-61). The
blind following of these 20,000 men for the sole purpose of fame and honor testifies to the fact
that chivalry was a strong force in Hamlets mental fortification. Holden, on the other hand, does
not seem to follow any sort of societal line. As mentioned previously, Holden, tends to make
decisions that are societally inefficient, and in general, he is an outcast for that reason. In his
monologue, Holden states how some of his characteristics differ from most people: Some guys
spend days looking for something they lost. I never seem to have anything that if I lost it I'd care
too much (Salinger, 48). Along with major differences between himself and his peers,

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such as his inability to communicate with others in a normal manner, Holden even differs in his
minute characteristics. Holdens behavior is the epitome of rebellion.
Hamlet and Holden are unique characters, in that they have an intense and real depth to
them. However, the natural means of analyzing characters falls at the feet of their actions. There
is little logic to their actions, and whatever logic they have is washed away by their inconsistent
nature. When this occurs, only through a soliloquy or stream of consciousness can the characters
true characteristics be known and efficient analysis begin. Through these streams of
consciousness, we find a middle ground between Hamlet and Holden. They are both unsure.
Hamlet is unsure in his decisions because of warring nature between his logic and his emotion,
while Holden is unsure in the variety of choices he can make for one situation.

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Works Cited
Salinger, J.D., The Catcher in the Rye. Little, Brown and Company, 1951. PDF.
Crowther, John, ed. No Fear Hamlet. SparkNotes.com. SparkNotes LLC. 2005. Web. 22 Apr.
2016.