Hamlet Revenge Theme Essay
Revenge is the downfall for many people; its consuming nature causes one to act through anger rather than reason. In William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Shakespeare presents the theme of revenge through the negative influences on characters. Foremost, there is psychological revenge, this is seen through the mental chaos in characters as guilt or an event that haunts their mind. Furthermore, revenge is portrayed through the physical, with the effects of planning to kill and/or killing another. Lastly, revenge is visible through a social lens, characters pan the removal from society and/or the removal of love for another character, and characters also dehumanize others. Ultimately, these revengeful plots have many negative effects on characters, this brings out the predominant theme in the play as well.
To begin, Shakespeare uses examples of psychological revenge through characters going into a chaotic state in their head, and through guilt and anxiousness eating away at their minds. Hamlet knows of his uncle’s evil deed, but wants to make sure of it while he tried to get King Claudius’ mind in a guilt conscious state. Hamlet wants to, “play something like the murder of [his] father”, where he will “catch the consciousness of the King” (2.7.582,592).
Here, Hamlet wants to catch the consciousness of King Claudius to make sure he really did commit the evil deed. This can be interpreted as mental revenge since Hamlet eventually does catch the consciousness of the king, which entitles him full psychological control over the King’s thoughts, which later on in the play he does in order to make the King suffer and let him drown in his thoughts. To conclude, the effects of psychological revenge are detrimental to the way a character thinks because of how much power is carried with it.
The Essay on Provoking Revenge In Hamlet
Storming into the palace and throwing accusations at Claudius, Laertes reveals he is impulsive. Laertes anger is due to the dishonor that has been inflicted on his family by Poloniuss murder. Claudius takes advantage of the sudden appearance of Laertes, by provoking Laertes into assisting him in plotting Hamlets murder. Shakespeare uses Laertes not only as a catalyst in the story, but as a ...
Throughout the play, physical revenge remains the most predominant method of revenge because of how much harm comes with it. One of the acts of revenge evident throughout the whole play is Hamlet’s chase for revenge on the King; it all starts when he confronts the Ghost. The Ghost reveals to him for Hamlet to, “revenge [King Claudius] foul and most unnatural murder” (1.5.25).
Here, the Ghost tells Hamlet to kill the King so the order is restored. The Ghost compares the murder to being unnatural because it is a violation to the natural bond created at birth; brotherhood, since brothers help each other out and are always there for you. This will affect Hamlet with a increase in anger towards his uncle Claudius, the new King of Denmark. In conclusion, physical revenge through killing, or planning to kill, affects many characters with the production of more anger and motivation to kill.
Shakespeare does well with incorporating social revenge, with the removal of someone from society, removal of love, and from isolating someone from certain characters; the affects are that another characters endures heavy temper. King Claudius, in a conversation with Polonius reveals his fear. King Claudius does, “doubt the hidden and disclose will be some danger; which for to prevent, quick determination [to] set it down: [Hamlet] shall be [sped] to England” (3.1.166-269).
Here, the King fears that if Hamlet stays in Denmark, there will be danger, especially to his life. To prevent this, he decides that Hamlet be sent to England, far away from Elsinore Castle, the King uses Hamlet’s “madness” as an excuse to save himself from his death, considering if Hamlet stays, he will avenge. Another way of removing someone from love is when Hamlet confronts Ophelia to go to a nunnery. This brings Ophelia extremely down and removes her from wanting to marry Hamlet. She is also downgraded as to being a nun, or a monster that makes fool of men. Revenge through sociality is evident throughout the play, and its affects all lead to anger.
The Essay on Hamlet And Macbeth Supernatural Ghost Plays
... blunted purpose (3. 4. 113). The ghost asks Hamlet to seek revenge for the King s death and Hamlet is thus propelled to set into ... structure of the plot. In these plays the supernatural provides a catalyst for action by the characters. It supplies insight into the ...
At last, the resentful plots carried out in the play have many colorless effects on people throughout the play, while revenge bounces off from one character to another. Firstly, characters such as Hamlet effect other characters such as the King and his own mother through psychological revenge causing havoc in their minds with guilt or sorrow, Secondly, revengeful acts have a physical effect, through the murders and plots to murder others, such as Laertes and the Ghost. Last but not least, revenge causes effects on the social status’ of characters, such as Ophelia and Hamlet, through the removal from society and/or love. Revenge is not a law to live by, its consuming yet hateful nature will always lead to the downfall of a person, no matter if the reasons are for justice or simply for one’s pride.
