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Analysis of the tragedy of Hamlet
Hamlet in comparsion to laertes
Hamlet analysis by Shakespeare
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Recommended: Analysis of the tragedy of Hamlet
In William Shakespeare’s play Hamlet, Hamlet does avenge his father’s death but at the cost of many life’s. Multiple characters must be analyzed in order to make an opinion about Hamlet’s revenge. There are many reasons to hamlet delaying avenging his father’s death because he finds out from a ghost he could not trust. Hamlet can be compared to Laertes and Fortinbra. They are very similar but different and the same time. Each of them loved their fathers very much and felt as if they have to avenge their father’s death. Something they had in common has been that they felt their fathers were disrespected not only their fathers but them as well. Hamlet took a very weak approach to his father revenge where as in Laertes was quick to act and Fortinbra was in the middle.
Hamlet procrastinates and always rethinking if he should avenge his father’s death and does this for a long time in the play. Yet Hamlet talks as if he is not a coward in act III he says “A villain kills my father, and for that, I, his sole son, do this same villain send To heaven. Why, this is hire and salary, not reveng...
...Hamlet, Laertes and Fortinbras are the other two important characters that show their love for their respective families (Chedgzoy). These children are the ones that have sworn to take revenge for the sake of their family honor causing extreme destruction and indulging great numbers of people in the devastating circle of revenge in this play by Shakespeare. In the beginning of the play, one could see Fortinbras to take revenge from King Hamlet as he defeated Fortinbras’ father. This revenge is an indication of honoring and avenging his father. Hamlet is again an example of the fact that to honor his father and to take revenge of his father’s killing by Claudius, he decided to make killing of Claudius as his own destiny. Also, the play demonstrates the father son love relationship. Laertes again revenged to kill Hamlet to take revenge of his father Polonius’ death.
The Shakespearean play, Hamlet, is a story of revenge and the way the characters in the play respond to grief and the demands of loyalty. The importance of Fortinbras and Laertes in the play is an issue much discussed, analysed and critiqued. Fortinbras and Laertes are parallel characters to Hamlet, and they provide pivotal points on which to compare the actions and emotions of Hamlet throughout the play. They are also important in Hamlet as they are imperative to the plot of the play and the final resolution. Hamlet, Laertes and Fortinbras are three young men who are placed in similar circumstances, that is, to avenge their father's deaths. The way the each comes to terms with their grief and how they rise to the call of vengeance is one of main contrasts between the three.
William Shakespeare was a Stratford Grammar School boy, who was a member of the Church of England, similar to just about everyone else in Stratford. However, due to some events that occurred in the Shakespeare family home, there is some evidence that could prove that the family may have had some Roman Catholic connections. When William Shakespeare was 10 years old, legal issues and debt took a toll on his family’s life. Shakespeare’s father’s stopped attending alderman meetings which resulted in the removal of his name to become an alderman, and he was also forced to sell his beautiful home. The cause of this crisis is unknown, however the records can be used to throw together the idea that there were peculiar religious events going on (Fox). Due to these mishaps, William Shakespeare’s religion is a bit of a mystery. The play, Hamlet, was written by William Shakespeare during the Elizabethan era, which happened to be a time when religious conflicts were a big deal (Alsaif). The protagonist in the story, Hamlet, is a character who seems to make his choices through his religious beliefs. Hamlet is a very indecisive person, but his thoughts on religion tend to persuade him. In the play Hamlet, William Shakespeare uses the character of Hamlet to show the flaws in all religions. Hamlet does his best to follow the rules of Christianity, but he often questions the morality involved. Although Shakespeare belonged to the Church of England, he didn’t find any particular religion to be perfect.
Hamlet’s love for his father is clear in his first soliloquy, when he compares his father to his uncle as “Hyperion to a satyr” (citation). By alluding to his father as a radiant sun god, Hamlet demonstrates reverence and devotion. Therefore, it is no surprise that Hamlet’s reaction to news of his father’s murder is to pity the “poor ghost” and swear to “revenge his [father’s] foul and most unnatural murder” (citation; citation). Even with this massive obligation and genuine love for his father, Hamlet is slow to act. Laertes, however, never shows any signs of caring for his father, only treating him formally as “my lord” (citation). Yet, when Laertes finds out that his father has been murdered, he takes immediate action by invading the palace to kill the person responsible. When asked to calm down, he angrily proclaims “That drop of blood that’s calm proclaims me bastard” (citation). From Laertes’s point of view, failing to avenge his father would be a personal insult to his honor and his family. Thus, while both are trapped by filial obligation, Laertes feels doubly compelled to avenge his father by his duty to his family and his reputation, making him a prisoner of fate and
William Shakespeare's Hamlet illustrates the inevitable cycle of revenge as the characters are drawn into a whirlpool that they cannot escape. In this play, the readers witness the power of death and the wavering resolution that acts as a domino effect. The first one to fall into this despair is the protagonist, Hamlet, which affect both directly and indirectly those around him. Horatio, Hamlet’s best friend from school, becomes his only ally who knows of Hamlet’ schemes and miseries. While Laertes becomes Hamlet’s enemy when the protagonist inadvertently kills Laertes’ father thinking he was King Claudius, Hamlet’s subject of revenge, when he was eavesdropping on Hamlet. Another important character in this play is Fortinbras, who seeks revenge on behalf of his father’s honors, who equalizes the two contradictory characters of Horatio and Laertes. Through these three characters, who are different in nature, Shakespeare develops these three characteristics in order to highlights Hamlet’s weaknesses.
In Shakespeare’s Hamlet, many themes are explored that allow the audience to analyze into their deeper meanings. One example of such is the theme of revenge and its connection with one’s loyalty towards their father. This is seen clearly in the characters of Hamlet, Laertes and Fortinbras. Laertes is the son of Polonius, a nobleman of Denmark, while Fortinbras is the son of Fortinbras Sr., the deceased king of Norway. In regards to the structure of the play, both Laertes and Fortinbras serve as foils to oppose Hamlet. It remains true that the expectations one has for Hamlet can be found in the traits of the other two. The fundamental truth found in the characters on Hamlet, Laertes, and Fortinbras is their passion on revenge for the crimes
In the play Hamlet by William Shakespeare, the theme of revenge is very palpable as the reader examines the characters of Hamlet himself, as well as Laertes, son of Polonius, and Fortinbras, prince of Norway and son of the late King Fortinbras. Each of these young characters felt the need to avenge the deaths of their fathers who they felt were untimely killed at the bloody hands of their murderers. However, the way each chose to go about this varies greatly and gives insight into their characters and how they progress throughout the play. Hamlet, Laertes and Fortinbras are similar in the fact that each had love, or at least respect, their fathers. Enough to make an attempt to wreak revenge upon their fathers murderers at the risk of their own reputation, freedom, and souls.
Sigmund Freud, the father of psychology and psychoanalysis, spent a great deal of his time and effort examining the conscious and unconscious mind, which is pertinent to Hamlet. When reading Hamlet, most people jump to basic conclusions about Hamlets madness without delving into what the actual cause is, but using the psychoanalytic lens can give readers a better understanding of Hamlet’s insanity. For example, the main question of the play is why Hamlet didn't kill Claudius earlier in the play. Many people argue that he’s religious and is a man of inaction, but while looking through the psychoanalytic lens it is evident that Hamlet can’t kill Claudius until Gertrude is dead. Kendra Cherry is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist who holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and is the author of What is an Oedipal Complex. Cherry gives a simple understanding of the Oedipal Complex which states “According to Freud, the boy (Hamlet) wishes to possess his mother and replace his father, who the child views as a rival for the mother's affections” (Cherry). In the play, Hamlet’s actions are motivated by the Oedipal Complex and his unconscious forces (id, ego, and superego) which prove that only by the death of Gertrude can Hamlet kill Claudius.
William Shakespeare's Hamlet Relationships between characters of the younger and older generations is a main focus and central theme of Hamlet. The play differs from convention in that older characters are generally found to be the ones who have acted wrongly or who have made mistakes. The younger generation, Hamlet included, tend to act according to what they believe to be morally correct and appear to have a greater conscience and sense of justice. Generally, productions of Hamlet present the younger generation in such a way that the audience would feel sympathy with them and disgust at the actions of the older generation. However, there are exceptions to this and at certain places in the text,
What is the appropriate time of mourning for a lost loved one? In William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Hamlets mother, Gertrude, mourned the passing of her husband for less than two months. She then decided to marry King Hamlet's brother, Claudius. Hamlets mother's new marriage is what bothers him the most. Hamlet believes Claudius will never live up to the legacy left by his father as the King of Denmark. The social context that is being revealed to the reader through Hamlets soliloquy describes three character traits he possesses: suicidal thoughts, concern for the well-being of his country, confusion towards his father's ghost and whether or not it’s in the countries best interest for him to get revenge. This also portrays how Queen Gertrude’s hasty nuptials after not having a proper time of mourning, goes against society in this era. Furthermore, this foreshadows the vast effect this will have on Hamlet.
The loss of a parent can have a traumatic effect on one. It can lead he or she to a place of sadness, darkness and depression. In Shakespeare's revenge tragedy "Hamlet", the passing of the King stirs up the same emotions in the prince Hamlet. Although, it would be the starting point of his journey filled with deceptions, murders and conspiracy. After a visit from his dead father as a ghost, and the revelation of his uncle's betrayal, Hamlet embarks on a path to avenge the death of his father (Shakespeare). In the midst of all the lies and deceptions, before his ultimate downfall Hamlet achieves his goal of avenging the death of his father by killing Claudius, while liberating Denmark from a deceitful ruler; his uncle Claudius.
In William Shakespeare's tragedy Hamlet, Laertes, Fortinbras and Hamlet find themselves in similar situations. While Hamlet waits for the right time to avenge his father's death, Laertes learns of his father's death and immediately wants vengeance, and Fortinbras awaits his chance to recapture land that used to belong to his father. Laertes and Fortinbras go about accomplishing their desires quite differently than Hamlet. While Hamlet acts slowly and carefully, Laertes and Fortinbras seek their revenge with haste. Although Laertes and Fortinbras are minor characters, Shakespeare molds them in order to contrast with Hamlet. Fortinbras and, to a greater extent, Laertes act as foils to Hamlet with respect to their motives for revenge, execution of their plans and behavior while carrying out their plans.
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.
Hamlet contains three plots of revenge throughout the five acts of the play. Young Hamlet, after getting a shocking realization from his father’s ghost, wants to enact a plot of revenge against his uncle. Laertes, who was struck twice in quick succession by the death of his father and sister, wants to kill Hamlet. Away in Norway, Fortinbras wants to take revenge on the entire nation of Denmark for taking his father’s land and life. These three sons all want the same thing, vengeance, but they go about it in wildly different ways, but as Lillian wilds points out, “he also sees himself in the mirrors of Fortinbras [and] Laertes.”(153) It becomes clear that the parallels presented throughout the play are there to further illuminate the flaws of
Hamlet is a careful, calculating character that is trying to avenge his father’s death while still trying to cope with his death. Being at the center of the play, Hamlet is a character that many readers can easily identify and empathize with (Klein, Hamlet: overview). Like many, Hamlet is able to admit his strengths and flaws as a person. Hamlet admits about himself, “I am very proud, revengeful, ambitious…" (3.1.122-127). While he may be proud of these characteristics about himself, these traits prove to hinder him in trying to avenge his father’s death. Hamlet is able to admit some of his more notable traits; however, he is also hateful and cruel, leading him down a destructive path of revenge (Bloom, 19). Learning about the revenge he must commit, Hamlet is told by the ghost of his dead father that Hamlet must "revenge his foul and most unnatural murder" (1.5.25). Hamlet is left faced with murdering his father’s murderer with very little instruction or help. James Black wrote, “It is mainly in this aspect that the plot of Shakespeare 's Hamlet differs from its predecessors and successors, in that the hero has serious ethical considerations about what he is to do” (Black, Shakespeare and the Comedy of Revenge). Hamlet undergoes careful consideration in choosing the fate of his uncle and the revenge he will take. On his quest for revenge, Hamlet