Hamlet and the Issue of Revenge in William Shakespeare's Play
The question of why Hamlet does not immediately avenge his father's
death is perhaps one of the most perplexing problems faced by an
audience. Each generation of viewers has come up with it's own
explanation, and it has now become the most widely known critical
problem in Shakespearean studies. A rather simplistic, yet valid
standpoint to take on this problem is that it was essential to the
tragedy's narrative progression. As Hanmer said "had he gone naturally
to work, there would have been an end to our play!". Shakespeare,
then, is faced with a problem - Hamlet must delay his revenge, and he
has to come up with reasons why. The ingenuity of his solutions in
depicting this complex and troubled man has given us an insight into
the human condition of relevance to each age. Since we are certainly
left in no doubt of the intricacy of Hamlet's character, it would
therefore seem that Shakespeare is exploring a diversity of reasons as
to why the Prince of Denmark delays his revenge.
Hamlet's delay begins as he recognises that first he must determine
the ghost's true nature. Upon doubting the authenticity of its form he
questions it's intent with, "Bring with thee airs from heaven or
blasts from hell?". Despite the ghost's pending claim of "I am thy
father's spirit", Hamlet still seems to be unconvinced, thus
presenting Shakespeare with a primary ingredient for delay.
As way of detecting the truth, the Prince decides to put on a play,
and have it performed almost as a re-enactment of the ghosts tale. The
play, Hamlet claims "is the image of a murder done in Vienna", the
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... moral conscience and his insecurities when looking at superior warrior
types meant he did not have the 'will' to commit this vengeance. His
reflective personality delayed his revenge; his constant analytical
thinking paralysed him, and when he did actually fulfil his task it
was on pure instinct when he did not have time to think. This final
point perhaps suggests that overall it was Hamlet's personal
shortcomings that led to his delay. The fight with his moral
conscience, his belief in restraint over passion all contributed to
his major hesitation. However, overall it was down to Hamlet's
substantial indifference to a typical 'revenge hero'. Bloodthirsty,
passionate and fiery are qualities that Hamlet certainly did lack.
Rather he took the more passive, sly approach which would inevitably
lead to a significant delay.
A harm shall be intended to him because he provoked the revenge. The whole of the play is in stasis of tug of war of action and inaction in the soul of revenge implied by his very father, and the murderer been next to his very mother is impunity to inaction as well? And that’s what the whole play is about.., Hamlet’s procrastination after the arousal of revengeful sentiments. As Carla Dente has it that it would be impossible to have a tragedy unless Hamlet procrastinates.
Many believe that Hamlet does not take immediate action because Hamlet 's character is one of contemplation and unhappiness; not action. Because of these traits, Hamlet needs evidence and assurance that Claudius really has killed Old Hamlet. Hamlet 's philosophical nature allows him to question the Ghost 's existence and collect evidence before acting which delays Claudius ' death. Hamlet 's initial response is to trust the Ghost and act quickly when he says that “from the table of [his] memory [he will] wipe away all trivial fond records,/ And [the ghosts] commandment all alone shall live within the book and volume of [his] brain” (Shakespeare 1.5.100-106). Hamlet is clearly comfortable with the situation. However, he later is filled with doubt and whether “The spirit that [he has] seen may be the devil, and the devil hath power t 'assume a pleasing shape. Yea, and perhaps Out of [his] weakness and my melancholy, As [the Ghost] is very potent with such spirits, abuses [him] to damn [him]” (2.2.561-567). It is shown that the Prince is concerned to whether he should believe what he is being told, or if it is possible that it is the Devil and he may be taking advantage of Hamlets weakness. The play which Hamlet wishes to be performed is one involving a murder similar to that which the ghost described, and he decided that "The play 's the thing wherein I 'll catch the
Hamlet was a hero trying to do the right thing, but his tragic flaws turn everything around when everyone including himself dies. Hamlet goes back and forth throughout the play between pondering and procrastination to sudden acts out of anger and passion. Hamlet is extremely philosophical and contemplative which leads to his over thinking side. It's Hamlet's ability to reason that keeps him from killing Claudius at one of the prime opportunities in the play. And yet it is Hamlet's act of wrath that leads to Polonius' death. Which than later leads to Ophelia’s death. I think the play establishes that revenge is a wrongful act and not only should it be delayed, it should be dismissed. Everyone in the play would have lived if revenge wasn’t an issue .
Something was definitely rotten in the state of Denmark. The king was dead of a murder most foul, a betrayal from his own brother, young Hamlet was thrown out of the frying pan, which was his father's passing, and into the fire of revenge. On would think that an act of revenge such as this, retribution from an enraged son over the unjust murder of his father, would come so quickly, wildly, and brutally, driven by anger and rage. This simply was not the case in William Shakespeare's Hamlet, Prince of Denmark. As the young prince Hamlet carefully thought out his plans for revenge over a rather large amount of time due to his own apparent weakness, inaction. "The smallest deed is greater than the grandest intention"(Stokes 90). Hamlet was full of grand ideas and intentions on how to kill the King, but he failed to act and to carry out the deed that was his revenge, the destruction of Claudius. Why did Hamlet choose and it was his choice, not to take revenge on Claudius quickly and decisively? Hamlet had his own reasons for inaction; the strategy that he felt best suited his revenge.
The theme of revenge is expanded and created by the ghost of King Hamlet because not only does he instruct others to seek revenge but he has such a powerful reach that characters, mainly Prince Hamlet, become driven by this want for revenge. Prince Hamlet shows his eagerness for revenge by saying that “Hast me to know’t, that I, with wings as swift / As meditation or the thoughts of love, / May sweep to my revenge” (34). As the text progresses the message or theme of revengeance fully surfaces when those who are driven by revenge, Laertes and Prince Hamlet, lure themselves to their own demise and this showcases the evil in chasing revenge. In addition, Shakespeare not only uses the theme of revenge but also uses the almost opposite theme of patience to show what mankind “should be and what not to be”. The following shows the outcome of Fortinbras’s patience, “I have some rights of memory in this kingdom, / Which now to claim my vantage doth invite me” (177). In Hamlet, Shakespeare uses the ghost of King Hamlet as a representation and establisher of the theme of revenge and by the end of the tragedy shows how the characters, Prince Hamlet and Laertes, who followed this path lead themselves to their deaths; however, Shakespeare uses Fortinbras to represent the theme of patience and how not seeking revenge or acting upon impulses, like Hamlet and Laertes, led him to the throne of Denmark. Moreover, even though the King Hamlet’s ghost appears in the text for a limited time he plays a significant role in the development of other
Hamlet's Delay The question of why Hamlet has delayed taking revenge on Claudius for so long has puzzled readers and audience members alike. Immediately following Hamlet's conversation with the Ghost, he seems determined to fulfill the Ghost's wishes and swears his companions to secrecy about what has occurred. The next appearance of Hamlet in the play reveals that he has not yet revenged his father's murder. In Scene two, act two, Hamlet gives a possible reason for his hesitation.
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 Polonius’s murder. Claudius takes advantage of the sudden appearance of Laertes, by provoking Laertes into assisting him in plotting Hamlet’s murder. Shakespeare uses Laertes not only as a catalyst in the story, but as a contrast to the pensive Hamlet.
Why does hamlet delay so much in avenging his father’s murderer? Is there a part of him that really doesn’t want to take revenge? These are questions readers may come up with after reading and analyzing the play. Hamlet is a play built on a long tragedy between many characters. This tragedy starts with the main character Princess Hamlet and his Uncle Claudius. Claudius is the antagonist in this play and starts all of the drama. Claudius is the reason why hamlet is trying to seek revenge. Other characters are trying to seek revenge throughout the entirety of the play also. Shakespeare in the play Hamlet, is trying to make this a play on revenge between many characters and also show the insecurities of Hamlet as he tries to seek revenge.
Hamlet is many things: scholar, speaker, actor, and prince. His greatness shows in all of activities, save one: his inability to act. Hamlet is not able to avenge his father's death without considerable delay. There is a flaw in Hamlet's character that causes him to postpone the murder of Claudius - this flaw is Hamlet's idealism. While idealism is normally a good trait, in this case, because of the unusual circumstances, Hamlet's idealism causes great conflicts within him.
...tion he hesitates because he is not sure whether killing the king is the right thing to do (Sheridan Thomas).” Hamlet’s hesitative nature and uncertainty about killing Claudius support that fact the he lacks decisiveness.
Revenge has caused the downfall of many a person. Its consuming nature causes one to act recklessly through anger rather than reason. Revenge is an emotion easily rationalized; one turn deserves another. However, this is a very dangerous theory to live by. Throughout Hamlet, revenge is a dominant theme. Fortinbras, Laertes, and Hamlet all seek to avenge the deaths of their fathers. But in so doing, all three rely more on emotion than thought, and take a very big gamble, a gamble which eventually leads to the downfall and death of all but one of them. King Fortinbras was slain by King Hamlet in a sword battle. This entitled King Hamlet to the land that was possessed by Fortinbras because it was written in a seal'd compact. "…our valiant Hamlet-for so this side of our known world esteem'd him-did slay this Fortinbras." Young Fortinbras was enraged by his father’s murder and sought revenge against Denmark. He wanted to reclaim the land that had been lost to Denmark when his father was killed. "…Now sir, young Fortinbras…as it doth well appear unto our state-but to recover of us, by strong hand and terms compulsative, those foresaid lands so by his father lost…" Claudius becomes aware of Fortinbras’ plans, and in an evasive move, sends a message to the new King of Norway, Fortinbras’ uncle.
Revenge is a recurring theme in Hamlet. Although Hamlet wants to avenge his father’s death, he is afraid of what would result from this. In the play Hamlet, Hamlet’s unwillingness to revenge appears throughout the text; Shakespeare exhibits this through Hamlet’s realization that revenge is not the right option, Hamlet‘s realization that revenge is the same as the crime which was already committed, and his understanding that to revenge is to become a “beast” and to not revenge is as well (Kastan 1).
‘’The memory be green’’ (1.2.0-5). It has not been much time since Hamlet Sr. died, his memory stays fresh, but his brother, Claudius, has already married his wife and taken his kingdom. Claudius says he does it for the good of the Denmark, in The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark by William Shakespeare. In addition; Hamlet cannot stop his hatred and anger toward his mother and uncle. He gets devastated and goes in grief by the loss of his father. The appearance of ghost and the truth about his father’s death drags him to revenge. He moves from grief and depression to revenge and into insanity. The insanity that starts with as an act becomes real and destroys Hamlet and his loved ones.
The perfection of Hamlet’s character has been called in question - perhaps by those who do not understand it. The character of Hamlet stands by itself. It is not a character marked by strength of will or even of passion, but by refinement of thought and sentiment. Hamlet is as little of the hero as a man can be. He is a young and princely novice, full of high enthusiasm and quick sensibility - the sport of circumstances, questioning with fortune and refining on his own feelings, and forced from his natural disposition by the strangeness of his situation.
A common motif in Shakespeare’s many plays is the supernatural element, to which Hamlet , with the presence of a ghost, is no exception. The story of Hamlet, the young prince of Denmark, is one of tragedy, revenge, deception, and ghosts. Shakespeare’s use of the supernatural element helps give a definition to the play by being the catalyst of the tragedy that brings upon Hamlet’s untimely demise. The ghost that appears at the beginning of the play could possibly be a satanic figure that causes Hamlet to engage in the terrible acts and endanger his soul. The supernatural element incorporated into the play is used as an instigator, a mentor, as well as mediation for the actions of the protagonist that ultimately end in tragedy, with the loss of multiple lives, as well as suscept Hamlet’s soul to hell. Shakespeare’s portrayal of the ghostly apparition causes a reader to question whether the ghost is a demonic force on the basis of its diction, conduct towards others as well as Hamlet, and it’s motive to kill.