The Promise of Revenge in Hamlet by William Shakespeare

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Revenge should know no bounds Claudius

In William Shakespeare s Hamlet, Hamlet vows to avenge his father s death at the hands of Claudius, however, he procarastinates throughout the play and doesn t seek revenge until the end, when Hamlet finally acts by his instincts, and kills his fathers murderer. Hamlet is stopped in seeking revenge by a number of factors throughout the play. He needs to know if the ghost is telling the truth before he seeks revenge. He fears purgatory as told about the horrors of it by the ghost. He needs to get himself together before seeking revenge, and he procrastinates through discovering that revenge is easier said than done.

Revenge his foul and most unnatural murder

When his father s ghost came to him and told him to avenge his murder, Hamlet was eager to take immediate action. However before seeking revenge he needs to know if the ghost is telling the truth about his murder. May sweep to my revenge. Hamlet feels that if the ghost isn t telling the truth and he acts, he too will become a murderer. Thus conscience doth make cowards of us all. In order to determine if Claudius is truly guilty, Hamlet produces a play in which the plot is parallel to King Hamlet s murder.

Hamlet asks his good friend, Horatio, to watch Claudius reaction to the play and to determine whether Claudius is guilty or not. By Claudius reaction, Hamlet could come to the conclusion that the ghost was telling the truth and Claudius did murder his father. By the time the player s came to Elsinore, it s been a while since Hamlet promised the ghost that he would take revenge. However, finding out the ghost was telling the truth didn t make Hamlet seek immediate revenge. He had to overcome other factors stopping him from seeking revenge. Hamlet heard the horrors of purgatory from his fathers ghost and he is worried that if he commits.

Claudius murder, he will have to go through the terrors of purgatory. He wants Claudius to have to go through purgatory, so when he gets the perfect opportunity to kill Claudius, he can t. Hamlet assumes when Claudius is kneeling in prayer, that he is repenting his sins. Hamlet stops himself from approaching Claudius when he remembers that Claudius killed old hamlet without giving the king an opportunity to confess his sins. To assure revenge, Hamlet decides to wait until he can catch his uncle in sin and unprepared for death.

Throughout the play, Hamlet is shown to be unstable. His mind is full of thought of talking to his dead father, discovering incest, murder, and past adultery that he can t arrive at any logical resolution. He is unbalanced and cannot bring himself to act; he needs to get himself together first, before seeking revenge. Hamlet tells Horatio after he has been told about his father s murder, that he is going to put an antic disposition on to observe Claudius more easily behind the mask of madness. In this state, Hamlet gets wound up in grief that he really becomes emotionally disturbed and incapable of action. Hamlet is totally confused.

If hamlet killed Claudius, Gertrude would be alone, as she is married to him, it would affect her as well. Although he is angry with his mother, he also doesn t want her to be by herself. He believes his mother betrayed his father by marrying Claudius so soon after his father s death. Hamlet is disgusted with his mother and condemns her for her sine. He is grief stricken to realize that his mother has committed adultery and now sleeping in incestuous sheets. However, Hamlet shows a bond with his mother and when she dies, by being poisoned, Hamlet now finally can seek his revenge on Claudius which he has been trying to do since the beginning of the play. This shows that he loved his father even though he was angry with the things she was doing. Let the door be locked. Treachery. Seek it out.

Another reason Hamlet delays in seeking revenge is because he is too self absorbed. He talks about committing suicide, about how he feels, about what he thinks, and about how he feels towards his mother and Ophelia. He thinks about seeking revenge but takes a long time in seeking it. In some ways words serve as Hamlet s prison. He analyses and examines every part of his situation until he has exhausted every angle and causes him to be indecisive. In this way he procrastinates through words to realize that revenge is easier said than done.

As seen, in Hamlet, Hamlet promised to avenge his father s death, the mission of revenge is something he takes no pleasure in. At first he seemed almost anxious to kill his uncle, but as the play continued, he considers his task in more serious terms. Hamlet procrastinated through factors of not knowing if the ghost was telling the truth through his fear of purgatory, through his antic deposition, and through protecting his mother.

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The Theme of Revenge in Hamlet, a Play by William Shakespeare

Many might say that the cost of Hamlets revenge is death. True that is one outcome of his revenge, but that is not all. In William Shakespeare s Hamlet, we find out about the other consequences of revenge. This is a story of murder and that is indeed what Hamlets revenge is. As Lord Hamlet s ghost says, Murder most foul, as in the best it is (1.5.33).

While Hamlets actions affected many things, perhaps the most significant action was that which took place near the end of the play. Everyone who is supposedly guarding the castle is so wrapped up in the drama of Hamlets revenge that they forget about doing their job of keeping watch. While watching the ominous fencing match between Hamlet and Laertes, Norway s army surrounded and invaded the castle. Because of the lack of guards, the army easily overpowers the few men keeping watch. Seizing control of the castle, Norway now ruled Denmark. The Norwegians, expecting more resistance were surprised by the number of people dead This quarry cries on havoc (5.2.403). This was clearly the most significant consequence of Hamlets revenge.

The entire royal family was also greatly affected by Hamlet s revenge. Once the King, Queen, and prince were dead, no one else was left to take over the crown. Perhaps the murders were a selfish thing for Hamlet to have done. He did not consider the long-term affects his actions would cause. When he committed his first murder and subsequently his first act of revenge he certainly did not realize what events would follow and eventually lead to the demise of Denmark. Surely he did not anticipate Ophelia s death nor his mothers and certainly not his own. Hamlet most likely was not expecting the dozen or so deaths that came out of his revenge.

Possibly he did not know of any other alternative to killing the King. Maybe he was too mad to clear his head and think of other alternatives. Hamlet was certainly a very intelligent individual so he defiantly could have thought of other ways to deal with his rage. It is understood that he came to the conclusion that the only way to solve the problem of his hatred and jealousy of his Uncle, now the King, was to kill him. As Polonius said Though this be madness, yet there is method in t (2.2.223). Perhaps Polonius was saying that Hamlet s revenge really did have some simple reasoning to it. If that was the case he should have dealt with it in a mature manner, and not brought so many people into the whole ordeal. The only people that really needed to be involved were Hamlet and his mother, the Queen.

One problem that could have arisen if Hamlet had killed his uncle at the beginning was that other people would have thought that it was a murder purely out of hatred and jealousy. He would have had no tangible proof that his uncle had killed his father, the king. In order to take over the throne. People would have thought that he was crazy if he told them that the reason that he killed his Uncle was because his dads ghost told him that his Uncle was the murderer. Because of his seemingly pointless actions he would have lost all respect of his loved ones such as the Queen and Ophelia. He also might have faced being beheaded by the townspeople. Quite possibly this was the right thing to do; it saved any grief of lost ones or hatred towards Hamlet. Hamlet might really have used his intelligence in a good way when he acted upon his revenge.

Hamlet s revenge was definitely the main theme to the play. What started out as Hamlet s desire to get revenge towards his uncle for killing his father escalated to the point that Denmark would be changed forever.

Today revenge of the same sort as Hamlet s would never be socially acceptable. Perhaps Hamlet had never been taught killing out of anger was wrong, maybe he thought it was the punishment his Uncle deserved. Maybe the most important thing though is to be at peace with yourself, be happy with yourself, and with your actions. This above all: to thine own self be true (1.3.84), that is all that you can hope for from Hamlet; that he was above all else, true to himself.

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Shakespeare’s Hamlet: Reasons Why Hamlet Delays the Act of Revenge

An exploration of why Hamlet delays the act of revengeHamlet is a human being, and he is an emotional human being. He feels guilt, remorse and has responsibilities, yet at the same time he feels pride and a sense of duty. He is quick, in Act one, scene five to take on his role of avenger

Haste me to knowit, that I, with wings as swift. As meditation or the thoughts of love. May sweep to my revenge.

Hamlet is passionate about his role and swears to wipe away all trivial fond records and to solely concentrate avenging is father’s death. However he does seem concerned with his mother’s betrayal. This was not the key subject his father spoke of, yet Hamlet troubles himself with the thoughts of his mother’s marriage to his uncle.

Hamlet jumps into his role without thinking, he idolized his father so much that he would do anything to make him happy, to be the perfect son. However towards the end of the scene when his emotions are less fired up, Hamlets thoughts about his role relent and start to become less positive and self assured.

The time is out of joint. O cursed spite, that ever I was born to set it right! Although he feels its his duty, he says cursed spitell he is resentful of his apparent fate, and he may be seeing this revenge act as an awesome and problematic task.

Hamlet is a man of philosophy rather than heroic action, he thinks deeply about his feelings and actions, which he sees as a fault, think too precisely on the event. Hamlet seems to be a very aware person, he is conscious of his procrastination and accuses himself of being a John-a-dreams in act two scene two after he has heard the players speak.

Hamlets antic disposition could be regarded as a sub conscious way of delaying the revenge by using it as displacement behaviour. Hamlet may be so enveloping himself in convincing everyone that he is in fact mentally unstable rather than submerging himself in plotting revenge. Although at first Hamlet feels the idea of the antic disposition is a good one, it becomes apparent that even Hamlet doubts his genuine sanity, it may be the case that he cannot differ from how he is acting to how he naturally is.

It seems unclear to the audience at times, if Hamlet is speaking in the act of insanity or when what he is displaying to the audience is his real self, particularly in act 3 scene 4 when Hamlet argues with his mother. His attitude towards her was already that of accusing her of treachery and when talking to his mother he seems threatening, Gertrude becomes scared.

Though wilt no murder me? Help, ho! When Hamlet murders Polonius he still seems to be obsessed with his mother’s betrayal. A bloody deed-almost as bad, good mother. As kill a king and marry with his brother.

Even now, when Hamlet has killed in cold blood, in the heat of an argument, he is more concerned about his mother’s behaviour and suggests that she was complicit in the murder of his father. He has been haunted by his mother’s actions since the marriage.

Hamlet idolised everything, he idolised his father, describing him as a satyr almost omnipotent, his parents relationship he put on a pedestal so his mothers sudden betrayal seemed cataclysmic to Hamlet. His attitude towards his seeming virtuous mother also projects onto Ophelia, telling her to get thee to a nunnery. He also seems to mistrust Ophelia, casting her into his view of all women, frailty, thy name is women.

There is a continuous theme of hypocrisy and deceit within the play and it is something Hamlet feels strongly about. His mothers love for his father he perceives as false, thus her mourning for him being so too. He saw his grief as genuine but no one elsells. His Uncles deceit and complete betrayal of his father seems to take a back seat in comparison to the actions of his mother.

This idolisation of his mother being completely overthrown may have plunged Hamlet into a state of depression; his experience of female inconsistency would no doubt have affected his mental state. Coupled with the death of his father and the sudden marriage is enough to make anyone melancholy, so for Hamlet, who is a very philosophical and deep character these events may have tipped him into pathological behaviour. Hamlet has a continuous idea that the world is corrupt and diseased, his imagery of his surroundings in Act two, scene two, sin.

It appeareth nothing to me but a foul and pestilent congregation of vapours. Again in the same speech, his imagery of man, and yet to me. what is this quintessence of dust?

All these disturbing images suggest depression. Hamlet feels so uprooted and detached from the world that he almost projects himself into a world of his own. His great depression could mean that Hamlet doesn’t have the mental capability to deal with such a decision of whether or not to kill his uncle. His sensitive maybe even fragile nature and state of mind could continuously hinder him from carrying out his requirement, he hints at it himself in act three scene two with his talk of suicide To die, to sleep-No more!).

When Hamlet has the player speak his role in a play in which he must revenge the death of his father, Hamlet cannot understand why he is not as strongly emotional as the player is. He sees this player display huge pangs of grief and thirst for revenge yet these emotions are paralysed in Hamlet. He compares himself to the player, making himself feel inadequate.

Hamlet is battling with his conscious, he has become more aware of his sense of morality, he seems torn between what is right and wrong, what he feels he should do and what he has been told he should do and what has been bestowed upon him. Hamlet lives in a society where it is deemed wrong to kill, even for revenge, ecclesiastical law prohibits it, but he also lives in a society where duty and personal honour prevails. Hamlet tries to inflame his hatred for his uncle by speaking in harsh language, calling him a bloody, bawdy Villain and a remorseless, treacherous, lecherous, kindless villain. Shakespeare uses alliteration to emphasise Hamlets spitting hatred for Claudius. The words seem to have more of a powerful image and tone it also adds some violence to Hamlets tone of speech.

Hamlets play within a play again denotes some procrastination, there is no physical action taking place on Hamlets part, however this could also be Hamlet searching for some sort of truth in what he has been asked to do. In seeing Claudiusils reaction to the play that Hamlet has had prepared Hamlet has some authenticity. He has contributed to the discovery of the murder; he now has the advantage of a further revelation of the reality of the murder. The ghost of his father, an apparition, has only told Hamlet of the murder. Hamlet may want some concrete evidence; maybe he thinks that to see the recreation of his father’s death before him will make him completely believe it, thus giving him more motivation.

Despite all this, when the play is performed and Claudiusis reactions confirmed, Hamlet resists the reflexive action of Isweeping to [his] revenge, this could be because it is important to Hamlet to be himself, whoever that may be, and maybe he feels that if he had killed his father straight after this confirmation, then he would only have been an instrument to his father, rather than a loyal son. Hamlet may want the death of Claudius to be his own, to be something he manipulated instead of a task given to him by his father. Perhaps Hamlet spends the majority of the play trying to fashion a sense of truth and justification, or reason onto the deed so he can achieve it honestly, and not just because his father told him to.

Hamlet has yet another ideal situation in which he can kill Claudius when Claudius is praying in the church, however, Hamlet is astute and realises that if he were to die now, he would go straight to heaven as he has been purged of all sins. Although at first this idea seems far-fetched Hamlet as usual reads further into the situation giving the impression of wanting absolute perfection in the act or of blatant procrastination.

He wants Claudius to suffer the same fate as his father did, he realises that with the forgiveness Claudius has asked for he will end up in heaven. Hamlet had huge religious aspects to consider as well, he is already aware that by low, to kill an anointed King is considered a serious offence but Hamlet also has to consider what will happen to him in the after life if he were to murder the king.

The king told Hamlet to leave her to heaven when speaking about his mother, and Hamlet may wonder that if it Heavens right to deal with Gertrude then surly it’s heavens right to deal with Claudius. In Christian belief it is thought that everyone gets what they deserve and that ultimately Claudius will suffer the consequences. Hamlet could also me unsure whether the acct of revenge would be look upon with empathy n heaven. What Hamlet has been asked to do is not the request of a god, or deity it is the personal request of a manifestation that never reached heaven.

If Hamlet were to commit the crime his is condemning, be it for revenge sake or no, he would be murderer and surely suffer the same fate as Claudius. Disint not perfect conscience and isn’t not to be damned to let this canke of our nature come in further evil. Hamlet realises that the deed of murder is levill under any circumstances and again Hamlet is being philosophical and questioning the rights and wrongs of the revenge.

Although Hamlet does finally kill Claudius it is the death of his mother that is the catalyst of the murder of Claudius. Hamlet is so enraged and passionate about the death of this women, for whom it could be argued he had an unnatural oedipal love, the demise of the object of his passion (mother) leaves Hamlet with nothing left to live for and there is no longer any reason to procrastinate as he has nothing left to loose.

In conclusion I think the lack of resolve stems from his personality, which was too uncertain off anything including his own feelings to commit himself to action, he had too many internal conflicts and his basic sanity of knowing that killing is fundamentally wrong. Hamlet also became more and more aware of complexity of the human condition and the constant conflict between heart and mind and soul and so suffered paralysis of action, like Da feather caught in a cross current).

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The Revenge and Tragedy in the Story of Hamlet

The story of Hamlet comes from a long line of revenge tragedies in which a character attempts to avenge the murder of a family member. Just as revenge is present in literature, it is also present in todays society. It is always there, lurking in the darkness of the human mind, watching. waiting for an opportunity to lash out at the surrounding world. Shakespeare suggests in Hamlet that revenge is a debilitating force, and the pursuit of it can infect the most noble of all souls. Once tainted by this infectious disease, no weak minded individual can be cured of it. Revenge is an unavoidable power moving the mind closer towards destruction.

In order for revenge to truly corrupt Hamlet, he had to be an innocent and noble character from the onset of the play. Without this innocence and respected status, Hamlet would have nothing to lose, revenge would have no affect on him because the evil would already exist. There has to be a shift from good to evil in order for Hamlet to be a tragedy, and it is the darkness of revenge that provides this shift. It is from Ophelia that a reader gets their description of Hamlets character before it was corrupted. She reveals everything about Hamlet that would make him a noble man. It is in their first meeting in the play, that Ophelia states, O, what a noble mind is here oer-thrown!

The courtiers, soldiers, scholars, eye, tongue, sword; th expectancy and rose of the fair state, the glass of fashion and the mould of form, th observd of all observers (III.1.142-146). First of all, she herself states that he has a noble mind. Then Ophelia comments on how he can relate to everyone in some small way. This ability makes Hamlet the pride of Denmark, and the most loved. He is also considered to be a model for all men, thus meaning that people admire him and look to him for guidance. One can base the entire notion of Hamlets nobility on this one quote. What else does a person need in order to be considered noble? He is admired, he is loved, and he is a role model, thus Hamlet is noble.

The nobility of Hamlet was corrupted by the power of revenge. Hamlet, although saddened by his fathers death and the marriage of Claudius and Gertrude, was not consumed by it. These were in no way the sources of his diseased soul, rather it was the desire for murderous revenge that slowly turned his heart black. The deterioration of his righteous mind began when he first learned of his fathers foul murder and and vows swift revenge.

Hold, hold, my heart; and you, my sinews, grow not instant old, but bear me stiffly up (Shakespeare I.v.93-94). Hamlet not only vows revenge, but he hands his mind, soul, and everything he holds dear over to it. He is no longer loyal to his father, but to revenge alone. It is at this exact moment that Hamlet and all his actions become truly dark; revenge has begun to consume him.

The destructive force that revenge possesses comes from its consummation. Once an individual stands in the light of revenge, there is no turning back; revenge is unavoidable. It is impossible to commit a crime or ponder the thought and not be affected by it in some way. Hamlet can try and justify his cause with the belief, An eye for an eye, but it is no use. Murdering his uncle is not his decision nor his duty. There is no such thing as an appropriate sin, or sinning elegantly.

All sins are immoral no matter what the intention. Hamlet is too intent on the damning of Claudius soul. Then trip him, that his heels may kick at heaven, and that his sould may be as damnd and black as hell, whereto it goes (Shakespeare III.iii. 93-95). Just because Hamlets father was murdered does not mean that he has the right to murder Claudius, much less damn him in the process. It is Hamlets decision to damn Claudius, that exposes the ultimate degredation and destruction that revenge has brought upon Hamlets soul.

Revenge is negative, but the affects that revenge produces can be far worse. In the case of Hamlet, the results were catastrophic. The first victim was the unsuspecting Polonius. The death of Polonius and young Hamlets desire for insatiable need for revenge sparked a chain reaction that soon engulfed everything and everyone around the young prince. Hamlets relentless pursuit not only caused the death of many people, it triggered the downfall of an entire kingdom.

Hamlet warns that revenge is a force not meant to be tampered with. The struggle to achieve revenge, will not relieve a person of pain, it will only cause more. In writing Hamlet, Shakespeare demonstrates that revenge is not the answer, and that it in the end solves nothing. By doing this, Shakespeare leaves the audience with the moral dilema of how to live there own lives. If the path that Hamlet chose was unfulfilled, then what path is the audience supposed to take? Forgiveness. The act of forgiveness is the only path to true happiness and salvation, not only because it spares the soul of the individual affected by the crime, but also because it delivers the offender from eternal damnation.

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A Glimpse at the Reasons for the Delay of Hamlet’s Revenge

Hamlet as a play and as a person has been analyzed for centuries. One of the main ideas focused upon in this story is why Hamlet delays so long in getting his revenge on Claudius for killing his father. There have been many ideas and many theories for Hamlet’s behavior, but there is probably a plethora of factors that influence Hamlet. Hamlet’s thoughts about the ghost, his Uncle, and his mother, may have all led to his delay.

The first reason for the delay may be that Hamlet was not completely sure that Claudius had killed his father. The ghost who claims to be Hamlet’s father and has some unfinished business on earth asks for Hamlet to revenge his death. The reason that Hamlet is not sure whether or not the ghost is telling the truth is that he feels the ghost may be the devil. This idea is portrayed when Hamlet says, “The spirit that I have seen may be a devil, and the devil hath power t assume a pleasing shape.” (I.ii. 611- 612)

Hamlet is wondering if this is a ghost from heaven or a ghost from hell. No one wants to go to hell, so Hamlet must make sure that he is doing what is right. He does not want to be influenced by the devil in any way. The Christian thoughts of the time stated that vengeance was a sin. Hamlet wants to avenge his father’s death but if he were to kill Claudius his soul may not be saved. Hamlet wants to be a better person than his Uncle, but if he were to become a murderer he would be just like Claudius.

One more place in this play that focuses on the Christian influence is in Claudius’s bedroom. Hamlet argues with himself that he cannot kill Claudius at the end of Act III scene iii. Hamlet surmises that if he killed Claudius while praying he would be sent to heaven. “A villain kills my father, and for that, I, his sole son, do this same villian send to heaven.” (III.ii., 76-78) Hamlet would much rather send Claudius to hell for his crimes, but can anyone go to hell when they are killed while praying. Therefore to kill his uncle at this point would be pointless. Hamlet wants him to suffer for everything that he has done wrong to the family.

When the ghost of his father tells Hamlet that he was murdered by the person who “now holds his crown,” (I.v., 39) Hamlet would like to revenge that death by killing his Uncle Claudius. Hamlet is also upset with his Uncle for marrying his mother only two months after his father’s death. Hamlet thinks a lot, almost too much. In this instance his mind rambles on and he has thoughts that his mother may have been involved with his Uncle before the death of King Hamlet.

He thinks that his father was murdered not only for his crown, but also possibly in order to take his wife, Hamlet’s mother. We understand that Hamlet is upset about this relationship from his very first words of the play. When talking with Claudius he states that he is “a little more than kin, and less than kind!” (1.ii., 64) This manifests to the audience that Hamlet and Claudius are nothing alike even though they are related.

Hamlet has much anger towards Claudius, and has reason according to the ghost to kill him, but Hamlet wants to be sure that Claudius is the man who killed his father. This is when the play within the play comes to be a factor in Hamlet’s thoughts. The play is designed to draw Claudius’s guilt and fear out into the open. By having a play that has a similar plot and a person being poisoned through the ear, but with a slight twist. While watching the play, Hamlet has Horatio watch the new king to see if he will act guilty when certain scenes arise in the play.

As the play moves on, the king becomes more perturbed and acts more like a person who has guilt and something to hide. This idea is brought to a climax when the king ends the play prematurely and says, “give me some lights. Away!” (III.ii., 275) This act alone gives Hamlet more of a reason for revenge because he is pretty sure that Claudius killed his father, but Hamlet hesitates once again.

There must be other reasons for this delay of revenge. Another theory is that Hamlet did not want the responsibility that would come with killing Claudius. The first sign of Hamlet’s fear is when Hamlet states; “I am too much in the sun.” (I.ii., 66) He feels that too many people are looking to see what he does. He is too young to have people look to him for the answers. Hamlet is the next in line to become king. When Claudius dies by Hamlet’s hand, the crown would then be forced upon him. He would have an entire country to lead and would be very much in the sun.

Hamlet does not want to have the responsibility of setting things right in the kingdom yet either. Evidence of this is found when he says, “O cursed spite, that ever I was born to set it right!” (I.v., 188-189) That is a lot of responsibility to be thrust on a young man who is not characteristically built that way.

Hamlet is asked to commit murder to revenge his father’s death, but perhaps, that ability is not within him. Hamlet is a scholar, not a soldier. For someone like Othello who had spent his whole life on the battlefield revenge would be easy. Death and killing is nothing new to Othello. He has become immune to the thought of bloodshed. On the other hand, Hamlet has lived a life of books and social well being. He has never been called upon to kill someone. Thus he may have a hard time with the concept and delay his revenge because he does not really know where to begin.

Another reason that Hamlet may have delayed his revenge upon his Uncle may be better dealt with in psychological terms. Freud would say that Hamlet was displaying the classic signs of the Oedipus complex. This theory states that every male has the internal desire to mate with his mother. This would require that her mate, the father would have to somehow get out of the picture.

When Claudius killed King Hamlet, his son may have been a little jealous and a little guilty about his feelings. The reason that this is not mentioned in the play; however, is that these were all unconscious feelings. These types of feelings were also considered to be very wrong and thus, Hamlet was torn. In reality Claudius may have done what Hamlet wanted, but Hamlet still felt guilty about thinking that way.

Hamlet’s main concern is that he wants to gain revenge without losing his dignity. Hamlet needs to somehow set things right without being involved in evil. This is the problem. How do you kill someone, without that being an evil act?

It will take much poking and prodding for Hamlet to finally embrace revenge on his Uncle. Hamlet, who is one who thinks through all possibilities, finds that he sometimes he acts rash because he thinks too much.. Hamlet has many things going on in his life and for a young gentleman, some may argue that this is too much.

The burden of his father’s death, his mother’s quick marriage, and the death of Ophelia, all may have contributed the Hamlet’s change of thinking. He has become a very confused individual, but still tries to do what is right for him, his family, and his country.

Hamlet delayed in seeking his revenge for many reasons. Hamlet was confused and unsure of both himself and the situation. Never before had he encountered such a strange situation. While dealing with both death and marriage he was forced to set things right. Hamlet did not want to have this responsibility or the responsibility of running a kingdom just yet.

That just was not the type of person Hamlet was. This was a scholar who had never seen bloodshed caused by his own hand. This was a young man who did not know how to kill. Hamlet was also faced with a challenge of being a good Christian. How could he be sure that the ghost of his father was not the devil trying to trick Hamlet into doing evil where his soul could not be saved?

In the end, Hamlet is just a confused individual whose life has been turned upside-down. He becomes lost in his own thoughts and is left to deal with what is right by himself.

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Violence Born from Revenge and Greed in Shakespeare’s Hamlet and Richard III

People commit crimes for various reasons. For example, many people steal things they could not obtain otherwise. Others, such as drug addicts, steal to get money to buy narcotics or other things they need. Some shoplifters steal for excitement, but others do so because they are poor. Many automobile thieves take cars for joy-riding, but others strip down the stolen autos and sell them. Many embezzlers take money from their employers to meet a personal emergency.

The motives also vary in crimes of violence. A robber may kill the victim to avoid detection. Some gangsters torture people to obtain money. A man may beat his wife in a fit of rage in a quarrel. These examples of violence are not only known to happen in real life, but in past literature as well. In Richard III and Hamlet, William Shakespeare conveyed two forms of violence that which is out of revenge and that which is greed stricken.

Elizabethans were keenly aware of death and the shortness of life. They lived in constant fear of plague. When an epidemic struck, they saw victims carted off to common graves. Yet death and violence also fascinated many Elizabethans. They flocked to public beheading of traitors. They also watched as criminals were hanged, and they saw the corpses dangle from the gallows for days. Elizabethan literature mirrored the violence and death characteristics of their life. Shakespeare’s tragedies, like other Elizabethan tragedies, involve the murder or suicide of many of the leading characters.

Richard III contains characters which focus on the concept of greed stricken violence. Greed stricken violence is when one commits a violent act, whether it be to kill or injure a person, because of greed. Richard of Gloucester, the main character of Richard III, is a cold- hearted and uncaring man. He wants to be the King of England, but to his dismay many people are to precede the throne before he will. So, in a greed stricken manner, Richard of Gloucester kills those in his path.

“I had an Edward – till a Richard kill’d him;

I had a [Harry] – till a Richard kill’d him:

Thou hadst an Edward – till a Richard

kill’d him;

Thou hadst a Richard – till a Richard

kill’d him.”

(Richard III. IV. iii. 40-44)

Queen Margaret is wise to Richard’s treachery and states that all these people are dead because of Richard Edward, Harry, Edward and Richard. He killed those who were in his path to precede the throne, using the concept of greed stricken violence. Violence in Hamlet is portrayed in a much different manner.

Shakespeare’s, Hamlet, represents a form of violence associated with revenge. Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, is quite disturbed when he discovers that his father was murdered by his uncle, Claudius. To make matters worse for Hamlet, Claudius has married his mother and has taken over the role of King. Hamlet may not have had such a problem with his mother, Gertrude, marrying Claudius, had she gone through a period of mourning for his father’s

death. Instead she chose to marry right away, which has made Hamlet upset and concerned about her adulterous deeds.

“A murtherer and a villain!

A slave that is not twentieth part the

[tithe]

Of your precedent lord, a Vice of kings,

A cutpurse of the empire and the rule,

That from a shelf the precious diadem stole,

And put it in his pocket”

(Hamlet. III. iv .97-101)

One can assume from this passage that Hamlet is quite upset with Gertrude and most likely yelling at her. He calls Claudius a “murtherer” and a “villain.” This reveals to Gertrude, again, the wrongful deed her new husband has committed. Hamlet then goes on to say that Claudius isn’t half the man his father was and had Claudius not “stole” the crown, his father might still be alive.

Although this may not seems like a violent act, Hamlet is using words to convey to Gertrude that her husband is a villain and she is an adulteress. The only reason he does this, though, is because he wants revenge for his father’s death and takes it out on his mother. Other passages in Hamlet also convey this violence out of revenge as there are more passages in Richard III that convey greed stricken violence. Each play in itself, proclaims a different type of violence.

Revenge and greed are two main causes of violence in literature and in the real world. It seems that someone always has what the other wants and will do whatever it takes to achieve this object. On the other hand, it also seems that people are less likely to sit back and watch as a member of their family gets killed without wanting to, in turn, kill the one who did the deed. Shakespeare’s Richard III and Hamlet portray these two forms of violence very well. When all else fails in their Shakespearian world, one can always murder to get what one wants.

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Hamlet’s Hesitation to Seek Revenge

fIn William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Hamlet is commanded by his father’s ghost to avenge his murder at the hands of his uncle Claudius. Hamlet does not act immediately to get his revenge, even when he is presented the perfect opportunity to do so. Throughout the play, it is demonstrated that the young prince’s hesitation is reasonable.

He doubts the story that the ghost has told him and he wants to discover the truth before he acts. He is not a man of action and it is in the nature of his character that he hesitates. Moreover, he wants to get a perfect revenge so that Claudius will be truly punished. In the play, Hamlet’s hesitation is justified because his morality prevents him from doing evil, his intellect causes him to think before acting, and his practical nature leads him to plan for a perfect revenge.

Hamlet is a morally good person who does not want to become evil, which justifies his hesitation. When the ghost first commands him to get his revenge on Claudius, he does not act immediately because he does not trust the ghost completely: “Be thou a spirit of health or goblin damn’d.” (1, 4, 40) He cannot allow himself to act immorally. He wants to first make sure that Claudius really murdered his father. Hamlet goes to elaborate lengths to see if the king is guilty. The young prince arranges to observe Claudius’ reaction to the play that he organized, and determine from this his guilt or innocence.

…I’ll observe his looks;

I’ll tent him to the quick; if he but blench,

I know my course. The spirit that I have seen

May be the devil: and the devil hath power To assume a pleasing shape; yea, and, perhaps Out of my weakness and my melancholy,

As he is very potent with such spirits,

Abuses me to damn me. I’ll have grounds

More relative than this. The play’s the thing

Wherein I’ll catch the conscience of the king. (2, 2, 594-603)

In Hamlet’s eyes, Claudius’ reaction confirms his guilt. As a fair minded and just individual, Hamlet must be certain before passing judgement. Now that his deliberation has allowed him to be certain of the king’s guilt, Hamlet is morally prepared to act, and his hesitation has thus been rewarded.

As an intellectual, Hamlet is not given to being decisive; he is contemplative, which shows that his hesitation is justifiable. By hesitating, Hamlet is acting in perfect accord with his nature and is true to himself. A man who utters, “To be, or not to be…” (3, 1, 57), cannot be expected to take any important action or make any important decision without first weighing every possibility and considering every consequence.

I am very proud,

revengeful, ambitious, with more offences at my beck

than I have thoughts to put them in, imagination to

give them shape, or time to act them in. (3, 1, 124-127)

Hamlet gives a lot of thoughts to his actions, and it is consistent with his character. When Hamlet kills Polonius, it happens in a moment of passion, and it is spontaneous. He normally has to think everything through before he acts. It is his character and he should not be blamed for hesitating. Hamlet’s intellect pushes him to be a thoughtful person and therefore, his hesitation is excusable.

Hamlet’s thoughts are practical and he desires a perfect revenge, which rationalizes his hesitation. In one critical episode, where Hamlet is observing the king at prayer, Hamlet’s practical nature is shown. Hamlet does not want to kill Claudius at prayer because if he does, he will send him directly to heaven. This is a fate that Claudius had not permitted King Hamlet. Hamlet decides to wait until Claudius is sinning.

When he is drunk asleep, or in his rage,

Or in the incestuous pleasure of his bed,

At gaming, swearing, or about some act

That has no relish of salvation in’t:

Then trip him, that his heels may kick at heaven

And that his soul may be as damn’d and black

As hell, whereto it goes. (3, 3, 90-96)

Hamlet’s practical mind in action forces him to hesitate even though he is presented the perfect opportunity to get his revenge. He wants Claudius to be punished painfully, and this would be a better and more complete revenge.

In the play, Hamlet’s hesitation is justified because his morality prevents him from doing evil, his intellect causes him to think before acting, and his practical nature leads him to plan for a perfect revenge. He is very moral and he does not want to become evil. He wants to be certain that Claudius really murdered his father before he kills him. Moreover, the essence of his character delays him in taking actions. He is contemplative and his hesitation is consistent with his character.

Furthermore, Hamlet desires for a perfect revenge that could punish Claudius completely. When the king is praying, Hamlet hesitates to kill him because he does not want to send him to heaven. Throughout Hamlet, the magnitude of the young prince’s practical, intellectual, and moral nature is revealed and therefore, it is proven that Hamlet’s hesitation is fair and justified.

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