The story of a young man by the name of Hamlet has been told since it was first written in the early 1600s. The timeless classic tells the tale of Prince Hamlet, who discovers that his mother had wed his uncle, two months prior to his father’s passing. He visits the throne in Denmark because he is disgusted at the act of incest, where the ghost of his deceased father confronts him, insisting that he was murdered by Claudius, the new king. Hamlet is enraged, and he becomes obsessed with the idea of proving the crime so that he can obtain revenge against Claudius (Crowther). Despite the myriad of themes that circulate throughout the Shakespearean play, many do not realize one hidden yet extensive theme: actions and their consequences. Complexities …show more content…
However, continuing with Hamlet’s incessant need for vengeance, the actions and drastic measures he takes in order to achieve such certainty are both incredibly genius and rightfully insane. Despite his methods and lack of will to act until he is absolutely positive with his facts, Hamlet proves that his way is the best way. Although Hamlet had numerous opportunities to act upon his revenge, he waited until he was absolutely sure of his suspicions, even when he could have easily retributed in his own controlled environment. Unlike many other named characters, Hamlet did not let outside sources sway his perception and perspective on the situation. For example, Laertes had insisted that nothing could be said or done in order for him to change his mind on acting upon his own vengeance, yet Claudius’ words had done just that, and Laertes ended up paying the price when he was killed upon his own poisoned sword. Claudius himself is another example of the complexity of action shown in the story, for after executing his own sibling and therefore gaining access to the crown, the haunting memories of his action taunt him until his final breath
Hamlet, is unsure who he has stabbed and killed through the curtain, but hopes that it is Claudius. Hamlet concurs with his mother that his actions are reckless and brutal. He quickly refocuses his concerns back to addressing his mother's actions which he veiws as reprehensible. Hamlet’s need for revenge as a result of Claudius’s betrayal against him and his father encourages Hamlet to appear insane. His choice to appear insane drives him to try murder Claudius in an unforeseen way.
Obviously, Hamlet is one of the readers favorite characters and someone the readers can root for throughout the play. We want Hamlet to get the revenge he desires, however, Claudius does not feel the same way the readers do. Thus, Claudius is conversing with Laertes to produce a plan to end our protagonist Hamlet once and for all. (4.7.107-139) Laertes has agreed to this plan because he wants payback for the death of his father Polonius and sister Ophelia. Meanwhile, Hamlet and Laertes
He blames everything on Claudius because he is the one that killed Hamlet’s father and now his mother. This give Hamlet peace about all of the events that have lead to this moment. We should learn from this that revenge in haste can be chaotic and unsuccessful. Revenge may not always be the answer, but if that is what you choose, then it needs to be well thought out and tested for flaws. I think that Laertes got the revenge that he wanted and even though it resulted in his own death as well, he got some closure that he needed.
Laertes was worried about his and his dad’s pride so he decide to murder hamlet. Laertes plans the big fencing match with Hamlet. He tricked hamlet and poisoned the tip of his sword. After he poisoned the tip of his sword everything went downhill. Laertes was being greedy because he wanted his dad to be king and stay king.
Furthermore, Claudius has no emotion towards his family, this is because his mind is only focused on obtaining power. This trait that Claudius displays shows by how he did not initially kill Hamlet. Before Claudius develops a plan to kill Hamlet, he tells Laertes, “O, for two special reasons, which may to you perhaps seem much unsinewed, but yet to me they’re strong. The Queen his mother lives almost by his looks and for myself… She is so conjunctive to my life and soul...
Firstly, Hamlet is a play of a man by the name of Hamlet, whose father was murdered by Claudius, his uncle. Claudius murdered the king by pouring poison in his ear to claim the throne for himself. Hamlet is then told by a ghost to murder Claudius for revenge, and he struggles within himself for the length of play whether to do it or not. When Hamlet begins to hesitate it does more damage than good and causes a chain reaction of tragic events, and makes the readers question whether Hamlet is truly sane or not. Claudius’s corruptness begins to show when he uses his authority to order those around him to rid of Hamlet.
King Claudius is a character who has always been envious of his brother’s success, King Hamlet, and therefore, is willing to do anything in order to acquire that power. He does so by pouring poison into the King’s ear in his sleep, thus resulting in King Hamlet’s death. However, Claudius declares that the King died of a snakebite in the garden, and thus no one knew of the murder that had just taken place. The outcome of his actions is long suppressed guilt which he only shows later in the play when he is trying to pray but is unable to after knowing Hamlet knows about his father’s death, “O, my offence is rank, it smells to heaven. /
The character of Hamlet is expressed as a protagonist. His irritated attitude towards Claudius in scene 2 of act 1 leaves the audience with a clear first impression of his nature. He is deceitful of the king, his uncle Claudius who is now the ruler of Denmark after his brothers “death”, and disgusted of his mother marrying his uncle. Hamlet is an example of someone who has compromised his happiness, in order to avenge his father’s murder.
Throughout history, certain pieces of literature become irrelevant to the modern world. Moreover, the ability to relate to a modern day high school student is an especially difficult task that many novels of the past struggle with. However, there are a select few literary works that preach universal lessons, and stand the test of time. William Shakespeare’s Hamlet is one of the few texts that effectively relates to teenagers of the past, present, and future. The struggle to recover from a tragedy, and the repercussions of revenge are two concepts explored in Hamlet which the vast majority of teenagers can relate and sympathize with.
Laertes’ revenge is the catalyst that made Hamlet’s revenge so deadly and hurt many more people (although a lot is due to Laertes’ revenge also). Laertes’s revenge hurt many people in the play, including his own death. In V.ii.334 Laertes says, just before dying “He is justly served. It is a poison tempered by himself. Exchange forgiveness with me, noble Hamlet.
As if what Hamlet was living was not extreme enough, the ghost of his father begins to appear to demand revenge for his death. Hamlet found out through his father’s goth that he was murdered by Hamlet’s uncle. It is very difficult to imagen the level of pain, anger, and desire of revenge after losing both parents under so bizarre circumstances. The evil actions of the uncle to take control of the throne, I have no doubt,
Though one person may have a head start, finishing at the same time as one who didn’t simply shows a discrepancy of talent for the sport. Though Laertes’s passion pushes him to extremes and allows him the strength and motivation to enact revenge, Hamlet’s loyalty and sovereignty of logic prevents his deterring from a course of action and makes him better suited for revenge in Shakespeare’s Hamlet. When given reason to act with vengeance, both Hamlet and Laertes consider their courses of action in considerably different ways- Laertes with quick, hasty planning and Hamlet with brooding certainty- thus dictating the true success of their respective missions.
Much like his other works, William Shakespeare subtly reflects the era’s social issues in Hamlet, a play about the eponymous prince of Denmark who discovers that his father’s untimely death was a murder. Throughout the play, religious anxiety plays a major role in the characters’ personal decisions. In Hamlet, the eponymous protagonist fabricates insanity to avenge his deceased father, however his goals are blocked by his own inner religious turmoil and thereby illustrating the theme of religion. The Danish court is full of deceit and immorality, from King Claudius’ murder of his brother to Queen Gertrude’s incestuous marriage.
In Shakespeare’s, Hamlet, revenge plays a major role in how the characters act. They base their actions off of getting revenge. Hamlet, Laertes, and Young Fortinbras all are trying to get revenge for their fathers. All three of the characters use different methods for getting revenge and they all get different results. Shakespeare uses these three characters to show that revenge can consume you and that is all that you want and he shows how harmful it can be.
In The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark (Hamlet), William Shakespeare writes a tragedy about a prince’s avengement of his father and the process of events that take place during in. During the story, the son, Prince Hamlet, is reported to by a ghost that his uncle, King (Claudius), is responsible for the murder of his father. In addition, many readers suspect that Hamlet’s mother, Queen (Gertrude), was involved with the mother of her husband and knows about the murder before Prince Hamlet. Despite the common conception, there is personal belief that Gertrude did not know of Claudius’ murder of Hamlet. During the third of act of the tragedy, Prince Hamlet uses a play’s dialogue in order to prove that the King killed his father.