1. Hamlet- A Revenge Tragedy Essay
Hamlet is one of Shakespeare's most well–known tragedies. At first glance, it holds all of the
common occurrences in a revenge tragedy which include plotting, ghosts, and madness, but its
complexity as a story far transcends its functionality as a revenge tragedy. Revenge tragedies are
often closely tied to the real or feigned madness in the play. Hamlet is such a complex revenge
tragedy because there truly is a question about the sanity of the main character Prince Hamlet.
Interestingly enough, this deepens the psychology of his character and affects the way that the
revenge tragedy takes place. An evaluation of Hamlet's actions and words over the course of the
play can be determined to see that his 'outsider' outlook on society,...show more content...
One symptom of Schizophrenia is finding oneself incapable of communicating with society. It is
possible that Hamlet is Schizophrenic because, given the way that Hamlet feels unable to trust the
likes of Claudius, Gertrude, and the other characters, it could suggest a reasoning for his acts of
insanity being a way to communicate.
Well known is it that the main plot of Hamlet is outlined by revenge. Upon learning the
circumstances of his father's death, Hamlet's attitude shifts. Once a saddened mourner, Hamlet
becomes a man on a mission for revenge. When the ghost of Hamlet's father brings the news to the
awestruck Hamlet, Hamlet is appalled by the "Foul and most unnatural murder" (1.5, 31). Hamlet
immediately promises the ghost the retribution he desires, claiming that he will seek swift
vengeance against his father's murder to prove his love for him: "Haste me to know't that I, with
wings as swift as meditation or the thoughts of love, may sweep to my revenge" (1.5, 35–37).
Ironically, Hamlet promises the ghost a swift revenge, though his revenge is anything but quick. The
theme of delayed activity reoccurs throughout the plot of the story, because, consistently, the
protagonist's time–table for accomplishing the task is slowed due to his pondering of moral issues.
Hamlet's Mousetrap scene is a perfect
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2. Revenge in Hamlet Essay
In his play Hamlet, William Shakespeare frequently utilizes the word "revenge" and images
associated with this word in order to illustrate the idea that the pursuit of revenge has caused the
downfall of many people. He builds up the idea that revenge causes people to act recklessly through
anger rather than reason. In Hamlet, Fortinbras, Laertes and Hamlet all seek to avenge the deaths of
their fathers. Hamlet and Laertes manage to avenge their father's deaths and in doing so, both rely
more on their emotions rather than their reasoning, which eventually leads to their downfalls at the
end of Hamlet. As the play begins, Hamlet is in a grieving period over the death of his father. What
makes it worse is that only a few...show more content...
This interaction alone sets in place the course of events which would lead to revenge being a
method of downfall to prince Hamlet and Laertes for seeking and attaining revenge for their
father's deaths. Although Hamlet knows well enough that he must avenge his fathers' death, the
action of revenge does not come easily to him. Hamlet throughout Hamlet is contemplating the
revenge for his father's death. Hamlet is indecisive, hesitant, and contemplative yet at other times
impulsive. He is still, as it is, being influenced by his reason taking into consideration that Hamlet
is a scholar. He does not act upon his feelings immediately but decides to investigate further on the
suspicions he has about Claudius and his fathers' death. This attitude tends to make Hamlet
procrastinate and only until he has done away with his scholastic characters will he actually play
out his Acton. Hamlet begins to react upon his feelings and does away with his reason as he says
to the ghost that he will do away with all knowledge and memory and keep within his mind the
want to revenge his fathers' murder. "Yea, from the table of my memory I'll wipe away all trivial
fond records, All saws of books, all forms, all pressures past That youth and observation copied
there, And thy commandment all alone shall live", (1.5.96–103). Hamlet begins to exhibit the
argued theme that revenge causes people to act recklessly
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3. Revenge In Hamlet
The Shakespearian play Hamlet uses several techniques to appeal to the various audiences of its
time. A common theme throughout the play is the concept of revenge. Hamlet is set in the
Elizabethan Era, which is a time in history where the idea of revenge was strewn throughout many
aspects of life. These aspects mainly included politics, culture, and society. In the play, Shakespeare
uses Hamlets speech in Act IV Scene IV to appeal to the audience's perception of revenge socially,
culturally, and politically. In the play,Hamlet has heard news of Fortinbras fighting a meaningless
battle against Poland to restore his pride. Hamlets speech in Act IV Scene IV, demonstrates Hamlets
envy, and most importantly it illustrates that Hamlet is impressed...show more content...
At this point in history it was common for people to avenge the death of a family member. Dr.
Hannah Lavery states that "[p]rivate revenge acts were understood at that time to be actions taken
by an individual in response to a wrong committed on themselves or their family group" (Lavery 1).
In Hamlets speech, he states "[r]ightly to be great [i]s not to stir without great argument, [b]ut to find
quarrel in a straw [w]hen honor's at the stake" (4.4.52–55). This ideology was followed by many
people at this time. It was believed to be important to defend dignity even when there was little
ethical significance for revenge. In the speech, Hamlet expresses that he has failed to do so. This
concept can be related directly to the social and cultural beliefs in the Elizabethan Era, therefore it
directly relates to the audience of
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4. Essay on Revenge in Hamlet
Revenge in Hamlet
It is natural human instinct for a son to feel offended over the death of his father. So is the instance
of the two young princes, both spurned by the sudden death of King Hamlet toward destinies of
avenging fallen fathers, which emerge to permit comparisons in Shakespeare's great tragedy Hamlet.
In the first act of the play Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, and Fortinbras, Prince of Norway, both are
fatherless heirs whose uncles occupy the throne of their respected countries. Both princes seek
revenge for the events relating to the death of their fathers while their uncles and kings oppose their
nephews, plotting to accomplish their own objectives. However, by what is learned in the brief
sidelined accounts of...show more content...
Whereas Fortinbras directs his vengeance toward a target outside his family and country, Hamlet's
enemy is exposed within the very core of Denmark, his own family. As a ghost from the grave, King
Hamlet returns to reveal to his son that Claudius, the king's very brother caused his death by pouring
poison into his ear while he slept. This earth quaking news is compounded with the recent marriage
of now King Claudius to Hamlet's short mourning mother, Gertrude. If the offenses of treason,
parricide murder, and adultery were not enough to incite Hamlet to avenge his father, the ghost gives
a fourth reason. This unexpected death was most untimely for King Hamlet because he had not
repented for the sins he had accumulated throughout his life; thus, a sentence of suffering in
purgatory withholds his entrance to heaven. Unlike Prince Fortinbras's goal of seeking retribution by
recovering what was lost upon his father's death, the ghost of King Hamlet calls his son to avenge
him for deeds and responsibilities that remained even after his life left his body. For "this most foul,
strange, and unnatural"(1.5.29) murder Prince Hamlet pledges to avenge his father by killing his
uncle, king, and mother's husband, Claudius, without harming the Queen.
By gathering "a list of lawless resolutes for food and diet to some enterprise that hath a stomach in 't,
which is no other..." Fortinbras sought to accomplish
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5. Essay on Revenge in Hamlet
William Shakespeare is considered the greatest writer of the English language.
Shakespeare wrote hundreds of pieces, from sonnets to plays. Hamlet is one of his most
well–known plays. There isn't any shortage of revenge in Hamlet, and so that is the theme
we'll be discussing. Hamlet and Laertes are the most obvious character with revenge in
their minds, and that's who we'll be focusing on throughout the essay.
Two months before the beginning of the play, the King Hamlet dies. The King
shows himself to two guards, Barnardo and Francisco, at first. The guards decide to bring
in Horatio, who brings Marcellus, to see the spirit as well. This is so they can confirm its
existence, as Horatio was a well–respected...show more content...
The
re–enactment also has Hamlet question himself about the truth as to why he hasn't done
anything to avenge his father as of yet. During the play, Hamlet observes his uncle and
his reaction to the actions to see if the plan would work. It did, Claudius freaks out and
flees the room and Hamlet pursues him. When Hamlets catches up to Claudius, he is
kneeling and praying and Hamlet pulls out and his sword in attempt to kill him right then
and there. However, Hamlet suddenly changed his mind, realizing that if he kills
Claudius while he is praying and repenting, he will no doubt go to Heaven. Hamlet
decides that Claudius doesn't deserve to go to Heaven, but to Hell. Hamlet puts his sword
down and procrastinates on his revenge. The third and final confrontation of the two
family members doesn't occur till the end of play. Hamlet escapes from his uncles
murder attempt on him. Hamlet and Laertes are having a sword duel when Queen
6. Gertrude unexpectedly from a glass of poison intended for Hamlet. Laertes stabs Hamlet
with a poisoned sword when Hamlet is not looking, Hamlet is then able to get hold of the
same sword and stabbed Laertes back. While this happens, Queen Gertrude dies.
Simultaneously, Laertes is lying down dying. He reveals to Hamlet that everything, the
sword and the drink, were all Claudius' doing in order to kill Hamlet. Hamlet in now in a
ball of fury, he goes up to Claudius and wounds him
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