The Methods of Revenge in Shakespeare's Hamlet

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Hamlet: The Methods of Revenge

In the play Hamlet, by William Shakespeare, two of the character's fathers are brutishly murdered. The first murdered character is King Hamlet who is supposed to be revenge by his son prince Hamlet. The second murder is Polonius who is supposed to be revenged by his son Laertes. Both Prince Hamlet and Laertes go to seek revenge for the death of fathers, however they will each use different methods to accomplish their deeds.

Prince Hamlet has a meeting with the dead ghost of his father King Hamlet. King Hamlet's ghost reveals to his son, his murder by his brother Claudius. Hamlet is informed by his father that he needs to be avenged by the death of his brother Claudius. By this time Claudius has already ascended the throne, and married Hamlet's mother Queen Gertrude. Hamlet decides to take a passive approach to avenge his father. Hamlet first decides to act abnormal which does not accomplish much besides warning his uncle that he might know he killed his father. Later in the play a troop of actors come to act out a play, and Hamlet has them reenact the murder of is father in front of his uncle Claudius. The actors murder scene also make Hamlet question himself about the fact that he has done nothing yet to avenge his father. Hamlet says " But am I Pigeon-livered and lack gall / To make oppression bitter, or ere this / I should ha' fatted all the region kites / With this slave's offal. Bloody, bawdy villain! ( Act II scene 2 page 84 line 577- 580 ). During the play Hamlet watches is uncle Claudius to see his reaction when the actors perform the murder scene. Hamlet plan works his uncle throws a fit and runs out the room, where Hamlet goes after him. When Hamlet catches up to his uncle his uncle is kneeling down praying, and Hamlet pulls out his sword and gets ready to kill him. But all the sudden Hamlet changes his mind because if he kills his uncle while he's praying he will go to heaven, and Hamlet wants him to go to hell. So hamlet postpones the execution of his uncle. The next confrontation does not happen till the end of the book when Hamlet escapes from his uncle's ill murder attempt on his life.

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