That's my question. We spend all this time worrying about the nut jobs in Hamlet and what their particular brand of insanity might mean, but no one seems to care about the one character who's got it all down. Horatio knows who he is. He's Hamlet's best friend, and the only good, stable person in this play. While everyone else runs around like chicken's with their heads cut off, Horatio is the voice of reason and sanity. And yet, he never once tries to stop Hamlet from what he has to do. He is Hamlet's "Damon dear". (Damon and his freind Pythias were the classical model of perfect friendship. Perhaps Horatio serves as a foil, of who Hamlet would have been if his father were still alive. Horatio's character is strong and unwavering, and Hamlet longs for the peace of mind that being so must bring:

Dost thou hear?
Since my dear soul was mistress of her choice,
And could of men distinguish her election,
Hath seal'd thee for herself, for thou hast been
As one, in suffering all, that suffers nothing,
A man that fortune's buffets and rewards
Hast ta'en with equal thanks: and blest are those
Whose blood and judgement are so well commedled
That they are not a pipe for fortune's finger
To sound what stop she please. Give me that man
That is not passion's slave, and I will wear him
In my heart's core, ay, in my heart of heart,
As i do thee. (III.ii.65-70)


Horatio bears stress and burden much better than Hamlet, and he is not a slave to his passions. So why does he stick around while Hamlet goes cucko for coco puffs? Because he's just that good of a friend. Maybe one day when I have a royal friend go insane and seek revenge I can be as supporting and loyal as Horatio. Just maybe do a bit better at steering him away from murder and revenge...


And, in honor of our To Be or Not To Be film montage in class yesterday, here's one of my favorite scenes in Hamlet. Notice how Horatio acts through this scene. Supportive, and yet a voice of reason.

And the best line: "This is I, HAMLET THE DANE!"
Goodbye Hamlet. I hope your dreams turned out to be good ones after all.