The Theme Of Revenge In Shakespeare's Hamlet

Throughout his career as a playwrite William Shakespeare explores many ideas such as love, fate, and ambition. Shakespeare also explores the idea of revenge in plays such as Titus Andronicus and Julius Caesar, but revenge “dominates the action of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark” (Branam 3015). In the revenge play Hamlet Shakespeare tells the story of the prince of Denmark, Hamlet, and how he must avenge his father’s death after he was killed for the throne by his brother, Claudius. However, Hamlet only learns the truth through a ghost claiming to be Hamlets father, so Hamlet is unsure whether the ghost is real or if its story is true. Hamlet first hesitates to take revenge so he can validate the ghost and his story. Then Hamlet has a perfect opportunity to take revenge and kill Claudius, but Claudius happens to be praying and is therefore in a state of grace. Again, Hamlet hesitates in favor of a more sinful demise. Meanwhile Fortinbras is also seeking revenge for his father, who was killed by Hamlet’s father. Fortinbras goes about taking revenge in a more determined and timely matter, quite unlike Hamlet. While both Hamlet and Fortinbras seek revenge, Hamlet puts much more thought into the consequences of his actions causing him to hesitate. In Hamlet the aspect of revenge is not present until the ghost of Old Hamlet appears to Hamlet and tells him Claudius has murdered him and taken his crown. At first Hamlet is eager to please the ghost, and vows to take revenge on Claudius