Motivation In Hamlet

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The genre of tragedy is one that has fascinated readers since its very conception. From the intricacies of the plots, to the internal and external struggles of the characters, tragedies are woven together in such a way that the reader is drawn into the story. Two types of tragedies particularly fascinate readers, although they diverge greatly, especially around the theme of revenge. In the areas of motivation for the revenge. and characteristics of the revenger, Greek and Senecan tragedies vary greatly. In Grecian tragedies the motivation for an act of revenge is often entirely internal. Although external forces may have caused the desire for revenge to sprout within the revenger, the actual act is driven entirely by the person themselves. …show more content…

In Hamlet, the ghost of Old Hamlet is the one who appears, urging Hamlet to take revenge on Claudius. The ghost also tells Hamlet the truth about the death of the King, telling him “The serpent that did sting thy father’s life/ now wears his crown” (Shakespeare1.5.38-39). Without the ghost’s prompting, Hamlet would not have been driven to seek to kill Claudius. External motivators are often someone powerful who wields a great amount of influence over the character. In Hamlet’s case, the extra motivation given to him by the ghost allowed him to be certain in his revenge. After hearing this confirmation of his suspicion, Hamlet is motivated to begin planning his revenge as the ghost states, ”If thou hast nature in thee, bear it not;/ let not the royal bed of Denmark be/ a couch for luxury and damned incest” (Shakespeare 1.5.81-83).. However, Hamlet’s internal motivation is not strong as he ignores a good chance to kill Claudius simply because he does not want him to go to heaven. If Hamlet’s internal motivation was stronger, he would simply care about the revenge and not hesitate. We see this change occur over the length of the play, until the climax, when Hamlet decides that his course is set and will do whatever it takes to achieve revenge. This new resolve is clearly seen when Hamlet states, “O from this time forth,/ my thoughts be bloody, or be nothing worth” (Shakespeare

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