Macbeth and Hamlet by William Shakespeare

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In a piece of writing, specifically Shakespeare’s writings, there is always a theme or subject of the writing. The theme can be a piece of writing, a person’s contemplations, or an exposition. There are many themes in William Shakespeare’s writings, especially Macbeth and Hamlet which range from lust for power to free will, and anything in between. The writings of Macbeth and Hamlet contain many morals and teachings. Out of all of Shakespeare’s great tragedies, Hamlet and Macbeth are most significant due to constant themes in these writings.

Hamlet contains many themes which set the plot for this writing. The first theme Hamlet contains is moral corruption and dysfunction within the family and community. Hamlet is pushed by his mother and King Claudius to life his spirits. However, this causes issues with his family because he is furious with how quickly his mother remarried after his father, King Hamlet, died. The dysfunction of Hamlet’s family continues when he learns of how his father died. King Hamlet’s ghost tells Hamlet of how he was murdered by his own brother, King Claudius. King Claudius’s killing of King Hamlet is revealed during the performance of the Mousetrap play. Next, Hamlet mistakenly kills Polonius after he antagonizes his mother about her deceitfulness. King Claudius then demands England to kill Hamlet. All of these actions tie together the theme of immoral conduct and the ruining of Hamlet’s family and the community. ("Resources for Teachers." Themes in Hamlet. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Mar. 2014.)

The second theme found in Hamlet is the thought of revenge, and the actions carried out to achieve revenge. Beginning in Act 1, Scene 5, Hamlet dreads the burden he now carries due to his father’s requ...

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...t, and the characters of William Shakespeare’s writings. Themes are meant to teach a moral, or get a point across which definitely occurs in all of William Shakespeare’s writings.

Works Cited

Bloom, Harold. William Shakespeare’s Hamlet. New York: Chelsea House, 1986. Print.

Bloom, Harold. William Shakespeare’s Macbeth. New York: Chelsea House, 1986. Print.

Fawkner, Harald William. Deconstructing Macbeth: The Hyperontological View. Rutherford:

Farleigh Dickinson UP, 1990. Print.

Kinsella, Kate. Prentice Hall Literature: Timeless Voices, Timeless Themes. Upper Saddle

River, NJ: Pearson Education, 2002. Print.

Shakespeare, William, and Sylvan Barnet. The Tragedy of Macbeth. NewYork: New American

Library, 1963. Print.

("Supernatural in Shakespeare's Plays." Supernatural in Shakespeare's Plays. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Mar. 2014.)

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