Compare and contrast Hamlet and Alexander the Great. How are they similar? How are they different?

These are two extremely different people. The similarities are somewhat shallow. Both men are royalty. Both rise to the occasion after losing a father. Both men are very well educated. Hamlet is one of the smartest characters in Shakespeare's work, while Alexander the Great received tutoring from Aristotle himself.

The main difference in my mind is that Alexander was a man of action while Hamlet was a man of contemplation and indecision. One of the...

These are two extremely different people. The similarities are somewhat shallow. Both men are royalty. Both rise to the occasion after losing a father. Both men are very well educated. Hamlet is one of the smartest characters in Shakespeare's work, while Alexander the Great received tutoring from Aristotle himself.

The main difference in my mind is that Alexander was a man of action while Hamlet was a man of contemplation and indecision. One of the core ideas of Hamlet is that throughout the play Hamlet is resolved to avenge his father, but he simply cannot make up his mind. He delays killing Claudius at first because he isn't sure, so he puts on a play to confirm his suspicion. Then when his suspicion is confirmed he delays again because he does not want to send Claudius to heaven by killing the king during prayers. Depression and possibility even insanity plague Hamlet. He debates whether life is worth living in his famous soliloquies, and cannot bring himself to act until the final moment.

Alexander the Great was the essential man of action. He used his knowledge and skills to realize his father's dreams of greatness by conquering enormous amounts of land, building an empire, and defeating his enemies in Persia. This might make him less interesting to read about, but it undoubtedly made him more effective.