William Shakespeares Hamlet Essay - 1324 Words

William Shakespeare’s famously philosophical play Hamlet epitomizes the revenge tragedy; the play’s characters are forced to act vengefully only to result in a bloody, dismal ending. The most obvious instance of revenge in the play is that of Hamlet against Claudius whom corruptly becomes the king of Denmark after he murders Hamlet’s father. Spurred by the ghost of the deceased king, Hamlet sways between moods of adamancy and half-hearted uncertainty in his quest to repay his father’s life, a task which proves complicated. Christian doctrine plays a key role in the play as it pervades Hamlet’s and the other revenge seekers’ lives and forces them to reconcile their actions with their moral obligations, tying together the idea of†¦show more content†¦The ghost takes advantage of this by demanding that Hamlet take action against Claudius â€Å"If thou didst ever thy dear father love† (1.5.24). Coupling the injustice of his father’s punishment in purgatory—Claudius having killed him before he had time to repent—with his filial obligation both innate and deemed by the Fifth Commandment, Hamlet is forced to seek vengeance. In his search for justice, Hamlet wavers between bouts of vigor and near enthusiasm, such as when he says, â€Å"Now could I drink hot blood / And do such bitter business as the day / Would quake to look on,† and dismay at his unwillingness to enact revenge, such as when he says, â€Å"O cursà ¨d spire / That ever I was born to set it right!† (3.2.333-35; 2.1.197-98). The reasons behind the reciprocal moods lie in the Bible. According to Numbers 35 and Deuteronomy 19, Hamlet is justified in seeking revenge since the law of Moses states that a man who has suffered the murder of kin is allowed to kill the culprit (Moore 1). In addition, Exodus 21:22-25 establishes the idea of lex talionis, an eye for an eye, which further accounts for Hamlet’s role as an avenger against the man who has slain his father. â€Å"This is most brave, / That I, the son of a dear father murdered, / Prompted to my revenge by heaven and hell. . .,† Hamlet states in aShow MoreRelatedWilliam Shakespeares Hamlet981 Words   |  4 PagesWilliam Shakespeare is a historic writer that is well known and wrote many plays in his lifetime. In most of his plays, if not all, he has incorporated hidden meanings and messages. The majority of his hidden meanings are controversial topics of his time period. In Shakespeare’s play, Hamlet, the controversial topic that is throughout the play is religion and the afterlife. Afterlife plays a big role in Hamlet and is discussed throughout the play. Multiple authors have written on the topic of afterlifeRead MoreWilliam Shakespeares Hamlet964 Words   |  4 Pagesunsatisfactory situation. In William Shakespeares Hamlet, a characters inability to overcome their weakness due to it being emphasized by their unfortunate circumstance results in their tragic downfall. This is illustrated through Hamlets over thinking, Claudiuss ambition, and Gertrudes naive persona. Hamlets character is one that is very thoughtful and conscious, however some view these qualities as procrastination and over thinking. Even Hamlet himself acknowledges this inRead MoreWilliam Shakespeares Hamlet745 Words   |  3 PagesIn William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Hamlet is a unique character due to his unpredictability. He is attempting to discover the truth in a way that no other character of Shakespeare’s has done. We find Hamlet in a state of deep melancholy due to the death of his father, as well as the very sudden and lewd marriage of his uncle and his mother. Hamlet is inspired by the player giving the speech about Hecuba witnessing the massacre of her husband, Priam. 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It has one of the most famous soliloquies ever to be written in theater art, â€Å"To be, or not to be.† At first, reading Shakespeare’s writing seems difficult to understand and be interested in, but as the reader reads on and digs into the roots of the play, it truly grabs the reader’s attention and makes him/her want to know more of the thoughts behind Hamlet. Thus, the story of Hamlet begins and his personality shows throughoutRead MoreWilliam Shakespeares Hamlet 2214 Words   |   9 PagesMadness within: Bipolar William Shakespeare had the uncanny ability to read people then put into words how individuals reacted with one another. His most known playwright is â€Å"Hamlet†. Hamlet leads the opening of the play with grandeur; but, when his father’s ghost of comes to visit him telling of Hamlet’s uncle Claudius killed him. Hamlet schemes a plan pursuing revenge. Hamlet demonstrates depression exceptionally, in the presence of his mother and Uncle Claudius. Shakespeare’s character likely labeledRead MoreWilliam Shakespeares Hamlet Essay751 Words   |  4 PagesWilliam Shakespeares Hamlet Hamlet might well claim to be Shakespeares most famous play because of its language and the charm of its central character. Shakespeare wrote some thirty-eight plays. Taken individuallyRead More William Shakespeares Hamlet Essay1277 Words   |  6 PagesWilliam Shakespeares Hamlet Hamlet has been praised and revered for centuries as one of William Shakespeares best known and most popular tragedies. Based on its popularity, critics alike have taken various viewpoints and theories in order to explain Hamlets actions throughout the play. The psychoanalytic point of view is one of the most famous positions taken on Hamlet.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Psychoanalytic criticism is a type of literary criticism that analyzes and classifies many of the forms ofRead MoreWilliam Shakespeares Hamlet1172 Words   |  5 PagesHamlet is a complex story that uses many literary devices to help develop the characters in Hamlet. One dominant device is irony. The main plot of the story revolves around irony. Hamlet is a witty character and loves to use irony. Hamlet’s use of irony displays how he insults people, discovers useful information, and reveals his true character. The use of irony in this story helps to add depth to each character, which is why Hamlet is one of Shakespeare’s most complex stories. There are three typesRead MoreWilliam Shakespeares Hamlet Essay2474 Words   |  10 PagesWilliam Shakespeares Hamlet When first introduced to Hamlet he is a character full of pain and confusion, still mourning his father’s death, ‘But two months dead-nay, not so much, not two’.[1] The punctuation here highlights Hamlet’s anguish. Significantly, Hamlet is already portrayed as a misfit, as no one else within the court but Hamlet is wearing mourning clothes; in Shakespeare’s time it would have been worn for at least a year following the death of a king.