Hamlet theme paper

1081 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Claudius' influence on Hamlet's actions

While reading and analyzing the play of Hamlet it is very clear all of the different themes and lessons Shakespeare is trying to develop. Throughout the story many themes stand out but the biggest one is that revengeful actions never have the best outcome. Shakespeare builds and works on that theme for the duration of the play and that makes this play a revenge tragedy. It is a revenge tragedy because revenge is the most established theme in Hamlet and most of the characters are involved with some type of revenge. Shakespeare enforces this idea by having Hamlet deal with three different revenge stories, all having to do with a son avenging his father. First there is hamlet wanting revenge on Claudius, then Laertes wants revenge on hamlet and last Fortinbras wants revenge on all of Denmark. These three stories all develop and produce the major theme of revengeful actions never having the best outcomes. The first and most important story of revenge is Hamlet wanting to kill his Uncle Claudius, after Claudius kills Hamlets father. Shakespeare begins the whole idea of revenge very early in the story when the ghost comes and tells Hamlet of what his uncle has done. The ghost first tells Hamlet how his uncle killed the king and then he tells Hamlet to take revenge he says in the play, “Revenge his foul and most unnatural murder.” Hamlet responds with much eager to get revenge saying back to the ghost, “Haste me to know't, that I, with wings as swift As meditation or the thoughts of love, May sweep to my revenge.” It is funny how Hamlet says this because he first of says he wants to get swift revenge then the rest of the play after that Hamlet hesitates to kill Claudius. Shakespeare continues to push the theme of revenge as hamlet conti... ... middle of paper ... ...hole country. Once again showing how revenge has no boundaries and it can force people to do evil things. All together this play is just a couple of people trying to get revenge for their dead fathers and get back at the people who killed them. All of them being Prince Hamlet wanting revenge on Claudius, Laertes wanting revenge on hamlet and Fortinbras wanting revenge on all of Denmark. The whole story is just one big revenge story with two side revenge stories and Shakespeare teaches many things about how revenge happens. Like how revenge can have a soft side, how revenge can be very violet and aggressive and how revenge has no boundaries. In the end, with the exception of Fortinbras being gifted the crown, all of the different tales of revenge end up with bad out comes and Shakespeare did a great job showing how revengeful actions never have the best outcomes.

Show More
Related

  • Revenage in William Shakespeare´s Hamlet

    854 Words  | 2 Pages

    In conclusion, throughout Hamlet the idea of revenge is very prominent and important. Critics may state that guilt is the most important theme for the way in which is helps move along the play. However, revenge also moves the play along and does it from start to finish. As well, the theme of revenge allows the reader to learn more about character development, foreshadowing of characters death and in the end it is the main reason of the majority of main characters deaths.

    Read More

  • Why Do Fortinbras And Laertes Get Revenge In Hamlet

    1177 Words  | 3 Pages

    When a loved one is killed unjustly those who are closest to them may feel threatened and therefore feel a need to take matters into their own hands to get revenge. In William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, revenge is seen several times throughout the play with different characters. Hamlet, Fortinbras, and Laertes are all deeply affected by the death of their fathers. While Fortinbras and Laertes react quickly and violently, Hamlet carefully thinks his plan through. Through the several deaths caused by the revenge plots the audience can infer that Shakespeare sees revenge negatively. Revenge can lead to a character's downfall, not necessarily the one planning to get revenge, by poisoning emotions their and clouding their judgement.

    Read More

  • Revenge and Vengeance in Shakespeare's Hamlet - Why Revenge?

    1049 Words  | 3 Pages

    Thus, not only is the complicated theme of revenge explored through the characters of the three sons, but their respective personalities are deepened and widened by this examination as well. The role revenge plays in Hamlet is a very important one. The search for justice, equated with vengeance, is at the very heart of the story and plot of the tragedy. Shakespeare uses revenge to reveal the protagonist's hamartia, thus proving the play to be a tragedy.

    Read More

  • Relatable Themes In William Shakespeare's Hamlet Today

    660 Words  | 2 Pages

    Revenge is used throughout the play in a few different ways. The first time we see the idea of revenge in Hamlet is when prince Hamlet sees his father's ghost. He is instructed to kill Claudius to seek revenge for the murder of King Hamlet while he was sleeping in the garden. The ghost is

    Read More

  • Hamlet by William Shakespeare

    1423 Words  | 3 Pages

    The expression “an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth” is never taken literally in the modern day, as it only exaggerates the idea of payback or karma, but this saying took a whole new meaning in the famous tragic-revenge play of Hamlet, written by William Shakespeare in 1601.What is so appealing about this masterpiece, to audiences of many decades, is the fact that revenge plays a rather large role throughout the play, motivating not only characters but developing an extensive plot. Revenge is the dominant theme that is intertwined into every character’s actions, forcing some to act out of blind anger and emotion instead of thoughtful reasoning. Senseless, emotional retaliation took hold of Fortinbras, Laertes, and Hamlet; consuming their lives with the obligation to take vengeance on the people who killed their fathers. Revenge almost led to the downfall of all three men and is an emotion that is rationalized to easily. Shakespeare develops the plot by using revenge as the backbone to the story, showing characters like Fortinbras and Laertes fulfilling their vengeance easily while Hamlet hesitates murder with every prime opportunity. However glorious revenge may seem, it is a very dangerous theory to live by, as clearly represented in Hamlet.

    Read More

  • Revenge In Two Literary Works

    1590 Words  | 4 Pages

    As we see in both stories, revenge is not an easy task to complete. Hamlet encountered many obstacles on the way to enacting his revenge. Hamlet reveals that promising the act of vengeance to oneself, or to the actual victim itself, creates an amplified need to carry out their plans. Hamlet, who swore to his father's ghost that he will kill Claudius for revenge, states:

    Read More

  • How Is Hamlet Relevant Today

    618 Words  | 2 Pages

    The way revenge was used in the book was that Hamlet was going to go get revenge for his father death because one day King Hamlet was taking a nap on a glorious day. Then Claudius took poison and put it in his ear and killed him. Towards the beginning

    Read More

  • Hamlet Revenge Essay

    720 Words  | 2 Pages

    Revenge almost always has the makings of an intriguing and tragic story. William Shakespeare’s Hamlet is a perfect example of how revenge unfolds and what it unveils. The play tells the story of Hamlet, the prince of Denmark. Claudius, Hamlet’s uncle, marries his mother soon after his father’s death. Hamlet greatly disapproves of the hasty marriage and suspects foul play. His suspicions are confirmed when the ghost of his father appears and tells him that Claudius murdered him. Hamlet’s father asks him to take revenge upon Claudius, and soon everything takes a drastic change. The courses of revenge throughout Hamlet surround each character with corruption, obsession, and fatality.

    Read More

  • Essay about Hamlet

    946 Words  | 2 Pages

    Hamlet is a revenge tragedy which focuses primarily on Hamlet’s desire and attempt to avenge his father’s death. It all the started when Hamlet returned to the state of Denmark because of his father’s death. When Hamlet is first introduced to us, it is clearly said how Hamlet is in the depths of sorrow as King Claudius asked Hamlet,” How is it that clouds still hang on you?” and the Queen said to Hamlet,” Cast thy knighted colors off”. One can envision him as someone who radiates his sorrow over his father’s death. Hamlet’s attitude changed from the sadness of his father’s death to anger when the ghost had revealed that his Uncle, King Claudius killed his father by poisoning him on his ear. Follow by his Mother’s marriage in which Hamlet called an ‘incestuous marriage’. The loss of Hamlet’s father affected him greatly and thus affects his relationship to other people.

    Read More

  • Theme Of Manipulation In Hamlet

    532 Words  | 2 Pages

    Revenge is the action caused by the manipulation of the ghost. This is the cause for them simply having a similarity in which the themes have common ground to build upon. Shakespeare also uses the literary devices to further develop each theme. Revenge is shown through signs of allusion towards normal behavior in the time frames culture. Manipulation is developed further by the use of plot-element,setting when the ghost manipulates Hamlet to further the play's plot. The themes build of one another to develop and to further that development there are literary devices used to help that

    Read More

  • The Theme Of Appearance And Reality In Shakespeare's Hamlet

    1907 Words  | 4 Pages

    Hamlet is a revenge play. At this time, Shakespeare wrote Hamlet, this was a very common genre. It had certain conventions: a villain commits a murder; the son of the murdered man insists revenge; he carries out his duty and pledge, but in so doing destroys himself. In Hamlet, the entire action of the play is centered on the task assigned by the ghost to Hamlet to avenge his father’s murder But Hamlet has to answer four questions: Is the ghost real? Is revenge good or evil? Is Claudius guilty? These questions, complicates Hamlet’s decision and his reflective, intellectual nature and the revenge obligations of Laertes and Fortinbras that parallel the main plot.

    Read More

  • To What Extent Does Hamlet Relate To Today

    674 Words  | 2 Pages

    The story, Hamlet, William Shakespeare, is a very popular book. It is about a young man, Hamlet, who's father was the the King of Denmark. His father turned into a ghost and Hamlet wanted to help him. Because of this, Prince Hamlet was accused going crazy. Claudius and Gertrude, Hamlet’s mother, want to figure out the cause of his behavior. People are ordered to spy on the Prince, which he does not like. Polonius comes up with the idea that Hamlet is lovesick for his daughter, Ophelia. While confronting his mother, Hamlet stabs and kill Polonius. As the story continues more people are killed and eventually the only people left is Horatio and Fortinbras, who becomes the new King. Hamlet has many different themes that will tie into the society of America today. Revenge is a major theme in this book that people in the world today can relate to. Revenge is just as common today as it was back when Hamlet was written. People today, want revenge due to many different reasons. For example, the United States wanted revenge on Al

    Read More

  • The Inadequacies Of Revenge In Hamlet By William Shakespeare

    228 Words  | 1 Pages

    I also agree with this statement. In the end, the resolution of each revenge plot does highlight the inadequacies of revenge. Hamlet is focused on seeking revenge. In the play, the ghost, Hamlet’s father, tells Hamlet, “Revenge his foul and most unnatural murder” (1.5, 31). These words convince him to seek revenge. This decision of seeking revenge leads him to unexpected events which affect his life and creates many consequences. His love life gets wrecked due to his rush to gain revenge. There’s an incident where he kills his love's, Ophelia’s father. During his conversation with Gertrude, Hamlet believes that Claudius is behind the tapestry and says, “How now, a rat? Dead for a ducat, dead!”(3.4.24). He kills Polonius, an innocent man. Hamlet’s

    Read More

  • Hamlet And Hamlet Research Paper

    1311 Words  | 3 Pages

    Revenge is a natural instinct for many people, but comes with a negative connotation, even though thousands do it every day. Revenge can be as small as getting back at a sibling for something they did. However, revenge can be as extreme as killing someone because they killed a person you love. Revenge is not always bad, but when revenge is used in the wrong way, it becomes scary. According to dictionary.com, revenge is "To exact punishment or expiation for a wrong on behalf of, especially in a resentful or vindictive spirit," ("Revenge."). In "Hamlet," revenge is a major theme throughout the whole play. King Hamlet and Hamlet start a quest to get revenge on Claudius for his actions. Their motives and desired outcomes related to the components

    Read More

  • Revenge and Vengeance in Shakespeare's Hamlet - Is Revenge Enough? Hamlet essays

    1097 Words  | 3 Pages

    Revenge is a major theme in the Tragedy of Hamlet. Revenge causes one to act blindly through anger, rather than through reason. It is based on the principle of an eye for an eye, but this principle is not always an intelligent theory to live by. Young Fortinbras, Laertes, and Hamlet were all looking to avenge the deaths of their fathers.

    Read More

More about Hamlet theme paper

Open Document