Theme Of Guilt In Fifth Business

The theme of guilt is evident in the speculative fiction novel Fifth Business by Robertson Davies

and the tragedy play Hamlet by William Shakespeare. Guilt is defined as having committed an

offence, crime, or violation. In Hamlet the theme of guilt is present in young Hamlet’s character

for not avenging his father’s death. Guilt is evident in Claudius when he repents in his soliloquy

for the sins he has committed. Gertrude feels guilty as well because she is partially to blame for

Hamlet’s madness because she married Claudius. The theme of guilt is also evident in Fifth

Business through Dunstan Ramsay and his feeling of guilt for the snowball incident. Paul

Dempster feels guilty for believing that his birth caused his mother

Dempster.

Early in his life Boy stated “I threw a snowball at you, and I guess it gave you a good smack.”

When Boy said this to Dunstan, Boy was being serious about not hitting Mrs. Dempster. This

made him feel absolutely guilty about the snowball incident for almost his whole life. Later on in

his life when Boy is older and has forgotten all about Deptford, the snowball incident, and Mrs.

Dempster, he is reminded by Dunstan about the snowball and the stone that Boy placed inside it. Boy is overwhelmed with different emotions but eventually Boy's remorse and guilt kills him

and he was dead with a stone in his mouth to represent his guilt that he should have carried.

In conclusion, the theme of guilt is evident in both Hamlet and Fifth Business because it is what

drives the plot. In Hamlet, Hamlet, Claudius, and Gertrude are all affected by their guiltiness in

different ways. Hamlet feels guilty for not avenging his father’s death, Claudius feels guilty for

killing King Hamlet but then his greed takes over his guilt and he feels sorrow but does not ask

for forgiveness. Gertrude feels guilty later on in the play after being confronted by Hamlet