Skip Navigation
Menu
Letters |15 October 1997

A Physician's Hamlet

John F. Burnum, MD

Article, Author, and Disclosure Information
Author, Article, and Disclosure Information
Copyright ©2004 by the American College of Physicians
2004
  • Tuscaloosa, AL 35401
×
FULL TEXT
IN RESPONSE:
Dr. Gonnella and I agree that Hamlet's long agonizing delay in acting against Claudius for the suspected murder of Hamlet's father is justified. As a youthful university student, Hamlet resents having to take on the burden of revenge. The risks involved in confronting the divine authority of a king are awesome, and in killing Claudius out of hate and for self-serving ambition, Hamlet himself would be damned. Furthermore-and here I differ with Gonnella's claim that the regicide is “unambiguously clear”-Hamlet delays because he is unsure of Claudius's guilt. Only we, the audience, ever know that Claudius is guilty; the grapes of certitude are always suspended just beyond Hamlet's reach.
FULL TEXT
PDF
Not Available
Citations
Citation

Burnum JF. A Physician's Hamlet. Ann Intern Med. ;127:658. doi: 10.7326/0003-4819-127-8_Part_1-199710150-00035

Download citation file:

© 2019

×
Permissions

Published: Ann Intern Med. 1997;127(8_Part_1):658.

DOI: 10.7326/0003-4819-127-8_Part_1-199710150-00035

0 Citations
CONTINUE WITH LIMITED ACCESS
Annals of Internal Medicine
To receive access to the full text of freely available articles, alerts, and more. You will be directed to acponline.org to complete your registration.
×
acp link acp
silverchair link silverchair

Copyright © 2019 American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved.

Print ISSN: 0003-4819 | Online ISSN: 1539-3704

Privacy Policy

|

Conditions of Use

This site uses cookies. By continuing to use our website, you are agreeing to our privacy policy. | Accept
×

You need a subscription to this content to use this feature.

×
PDF Downloads Require Access to the Full Article.
Annals of Internal Medicine
To receive access to the full text of freely available articles, alerts, and more. You will be directed to acponline.org to complete your registration.
×
Access to this Free Content Requires Users to be Registered and Logged In. Please Choose One of the Following Options
Annals of Internal Medicine
To receive access to the full text of freely available articles, alerts, and more. You will be directed to acponline.org to complete your registration.
×