Motivations For Hamlet Research Paper

In Hamlet, Shakespeare reveals that revenge is a cruel and an unsuccessful thing to do. Revenge isn’t the solution to our problems.The ghost of old Hamlet declares his son to repay his death by killing Claudius because he took his wife, the throne, and his life, but to not harm Queen Gertrude. This quote, “O, horrible! O, horrible! O, horrible!

He was to the point where he thought it would just be easier to die than to live with all these struggles. Hamlet’s uncle Claudius killed his father which put a huge burden on his shoulders because he loved his father so much. What made it even worse was his mom, Gertrude, ended up marrying Claudius short after King Hamlet 's death. After the king was murdered, Hamlet saw his father’s “ghost” which told him that Claudius was in fact the one that killed him and that he wanted Hamlet to seek revenge for him by killing Claudius, but not to punish his mother for remarrying. He said it is not his place to do so and that heaven will judge her when it comes time.

However, he murdered Polonius impulsively. Hamlet’s inability to make decisions properly led to his impulsive actions, which caused the death of the people he cared about. He had many opportunities to kill Claudius and complete his revenge before anyone else died, but he refused to act. Hamlet himself realized that and said, “But I am pigeon-liver 'd and lack gall / To make oppression bitter.” Hamlet didn’t feel he was capable of righting the wrong Claudius committed. If Hamlet had accepted Claudius as king and forgiven his mother or had completely committed to carrying out revenge, the play would have ended much differently, but Hamlet’s indecisiveness presented him from doing either.

While Hamlet is full of self-doubt and conflicting emotions, Laertes is quick to attempt to avenge his father. Laertes immediately jumps to the conclusion that King Claudius is the murderer of his father and he seeks vengeance. He is willing to storm into the Demark court – without thinking – and tell King Claudius that, “only I’ll be revenged most thoroughly for my father” (4.5.132-133). In contrast to Laertes’ sudden actions, Hamlet ponders the chance to kill the man responsible for his father’s death. Even when Claudius is alone and the option is available, Hamlet fails

For example, when Hamlet is finalizing that Claudius killed his father by putting on a play that mimics the killing he has the perfect opportunity to kill Claudius. Claudius runs out of the room clearly out of guilt, so Hamlet follows him to kill him. However, once Hamlet finds Claudius he sees that he is praying and instead of acting purely on emotion he stops to think and makes a rational decision to wait to kill him because otherwise he will go straight to heaven and that will not fully avenge Hamlet’s father. When Hamlet is contemplating whether or not to kill Claudius he says, “Now might I do it pat. Now he is a-praying.

His ambition leads him to accept “the very firstlings of [his] heart, shall be/The firstlings of his hand” (4.1.147-148). Hamlet’s promise to avenge his father’s death by killing Claudius is put on hold because his finds himself “thinking to precisely on the’ event” (4.4.40). Hamlet’s indecisiveness is the flaw in his character. He contemplates the reasons not to kill Claudius while Claudius is praying. If Hamlet were to kill Claudius while he is repenting of his sins, he would go to heaven with his acts forgiven.

Meaning, the solution will satisfy short-lived urges, but will cause trife and grief in the grand scheme. In Macbeth’s case, he says to himself, “Murder would be the be-all and end-all of the whole affair.” [I,vii] He knows he can usurp Duncan’s throne if he kills him (satisfying his impulse) , but it will also result in his own death as it invites Macduff to come after him as an avenger (trife and grief). We see this theme appear once more in another famous Shakespearean story: Hamlet. In this tale, The King of Denmark is murdered by his brother, Claudius. Hamlet, the king’s son, soon discovers this and vows to kill the murderer.

Hamlet deceives them so he can get everyone to think the way he wants them to think. Hamlet 's encounter with the ghost makes him decide what his plan is and how his father wants him to avenge his death by killing king claudius. The audience nor the readers of the play really understand what is going on inside hamlets mind. He could have possibly already thought about how he was gonna deceive everyone so that he would be able to carry out his plan. The death of hamlet’s father was really hard on hamlet for he was the only one who actually cared and loved Villezcas 2 his father.

According to (doc c), Hamlet kills Ophelia’s father for the no reason. Ophelia clearly is not happy about this action that Hamlet could have easily avoided. Also, Hamlet isn’t that respectful when it comes to the harassment and the torture that he inflicts on Ophelia just to get words out of her or other’s mouths. Ophelia is deeply affected by Hamlet during his plan to kill Claudius, and a common theory made by readers (doc d) is that Ophelia drowned herself because Hamlet is doing everything wrong to avenge the king, causing Ophelia to feel stressed over the limit. Hamlet also faked to love Ophelia to get information from her.

In act 2 Hamlet is told by his father’s ghost about the murder. Hamlet sets forth on war path against Claudius to avenge his father. By the time the soliloquy comes about, Hamlet believes he is being lazy for nothing has happened yet. So, in the soliloquy, he starts beating himself up about it. If only he realize that he had truly made everyone believe he was crazy, allowing him more access and chances to achieve his revenge.