Hamlet & Oskar (NOTE: This piece focuses on Hamlet the character rather than the play as a whole).

In the novel Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close there were many instances of
satire and prevalent use of cultural asides. One such reference was the relation
between Hamlet and Oskar.

Hamlet was a depressed Prince, irascible and secretive,
after his father was murdered. Later Hamlet discovers that it was his uncle
(Claudius) who killed the former King to steal the crown, queen, and other such
‘trophies’. Hamlet, being the only one who was exposed to the truth (through the
ghost of his father), devotes his life to attaining revenge for his father’s
demise. In addition, it seemed as though all had forgotten about the former King.
This fueled Hamlet’s strife with his loss even more and caused an added push for
vengeance.

Foer’s Oskar is in many ways Shakespeare’s character Hamlet. Most obviously,
they both dealt with the loss of their fathers. In turn, they became distraught with
sadness and overwhelmed with confusion. Very small examples of this state are
exemplified through Oskar’s “Heavy boots” analogy and Hamlet’s constant play on
words, for example, “I am too much in the sun”. Also, both characters are
vehemently over-protective of their respective mothers and wish that they could
not fall in love again. The main difference between Oskar and Hamlet is that Hamlet
has a medium in which to thrust all of his hate-laced remorse. Hamlet is aware of
the cause of his father’s death: the how, the why. Oskar has no such target. He
does not know exactly how his father passed and he cannot grasp the concept of
his absence in any logical manner. This conundrum presented in Oskar’s life leads
him to search for meaning where there might not be any. He is so concentrated on
obtaining a solid reason or certain fact about his dad’s death that he is looking
past the realistic and will literally go ‘great lengths’ to achieve a restful mind.

I noticed many traces of the play Hamlet, Prince of Denmark directly linked
to Oskar. The most evident was on pages 142 - 147 when the novel discussed Schell’s
participation in his school’s play. In the rendition exhibited, there is some humor
and fantasy attached, but this does not take away from the power of what is being
said on both the surface and underneath. The momentary excursion, lapse in reality,
and butchered lines were not acts of mutilation, but rather, another way in which
insight into Oskar’s life and mind could be shed. Oskar, in his imagination’s
version of the play, focuses his anger on Jimmy Snyder and whips witty lines as
well as bashing him with his costume. This onslaught (verbally and physically) was
the result of Oskar’s pent-up emotions and hidden searches for answers. His life
is a play. Oskar is constantly performing, though his audience varies in composition
and attentiveness. For instance, he hides things like his quest or bruises.

Oskar attempts to conceal his emotions while Hamlet outwardly thrashes others
with his; yet they both find ways to cope.