Themes of Love and Revenge in Shakespeare's Hamlet

1141 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: The role of ghosts in hamlet book

Themes of Love and Revenge in Shakespeare's Hamlet

Love is one of the most powerful themes in Hamlet, but a superior force - REVENGE, drives Hamlet's love. Revenge of his father's murder. Hamlet is confused and melancholic over the fact that his mother married his own uncle and so quickly after his father's death. Even though he does not immediately suspect foul play in his father's untimely death, he is in a state of shock. As Kenneth Muir states, "He (Hamlet) is profoundly shocked by Gertrude's marriage to his uncle in less than two months after her first husband's death, although he has no conscious suspicion that his father has been murdered or that his mother had committed adultery." The ghost scene seems to fuel Hamlet's revenges of his father's murder, but also, as we will discuss later this scene confuses Hamlet.

Hamlet's revenge of his father's murder is successful, but very costly. Hamlet pays the ultimate price of his mother's, his sweetheart Ophelia's, his friend's and his own life to accomplish this revenge. Hamlet's revenge for his father's murder begins just after the ghost scene, were Hamlet meets his fathers ghost and is told of the murder.

Hamlet's father tell him to revenge his murder "Revenge his foul and most unnatural murder" (I, v, 25). Hamlet's response is to swear "that I, with wings as swift As meditation or the thoughts of love, May sweep to my revenge."(I, v, 29-31). Hamlet is now determined, even inspired to a rapid revenge.

Hamlet is confused with his fathers death and is suspicious of foul play, but even after the ghost scene Hamlets seems to be vacillating between actuality (Was his father murder by his uncle?) and manic depression. Hamlet even goes as far as considering suicide. "...

... middle of paper ...

...ve his final revenge. "Hamlet's revenge has led him to wanton and meaningless slaughter. He may have ultimately won the battle within himself, but he dies with the blood of eight men on his hands, five of them innocent victims, helpless bystanders who were pointlessly struck down because they came between two mighty opposites. Hamlet's revenge has led to the destruction of two entire families and to the abandonment of the State to a foreign adventurer."

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Hoy, C. HAMLET William Shakespeare, New York, 1963

Prosser, E. HAMLET & REVENGE, Stanford, 1971

Wilson, J. What happens in HAMLET, New York, 1964

Muir, K. SHAKESPREARE Hamlet, London, 1983

Cantor, P. Landmarks of World Literature SHAKESPEARE Hamlet, New York, 1989

Farnham, W. HAMLET PRINCE OF DENMARK, New York, 1985

Mercer, P. HAMLET and the Acting of Revenge, London, 1987

Show More
Related

  • Religion as a Major Organizing Ideology to the Social and Political Reality of the Nineteenth-Century

    3819 Words  | 8 Pages

    However, both groups consciously reshaped the organizing framework of religion to diminish its ordering of their lives within the public and private sphere. Prothero posits that while “The Bible remained authoritative [. . .] Americans insisted on interpreting it for themselves” (47), especially women who lived under its patriarchal construction. “In that effort,” Prothero continues “they were assisted by a new culture hero: the populist preacher, who combined evangelicalism and egalitarianism in daring new ways” (47). Prothero maintains that it was “the rise of pulpit storytelling” (51) that allowed such reimagining of religious ideology. Prothero goes on to argue that the “story sermon” (51) as a rhetorical style “did not catch on as fast in New England as it did in the South and the West (51),” a point ...

    Read More

  • Compare And Contrast Aztec And Inca Civilization

    465 Words  | 1 Pages

    The Aztec Empire stood for many years but never expanded much, only conquering small neighboring civilizations. The Aztec Empire was founded in the 6th century and didn’t fall until 1525. The Inca Civilization was a bit different. The Inca Civilization conquered as many lands that it could but quickly fell after just 100 years. In this essay I will be comparing the government, economics, and culture in the Aztec Civilizationand the Inca Empire.

    Read More

  • The Knightly Code of Loyalty

    620 Words  | 2 Pages

    these wolves were sent to do this job. However, he forces himself to stay away from the Cullens, vampires, because of his love and loyalty to Bella. This love turns sour when Edward Cullen is forced to turn his wife, Bella, into a vampire. Jacob hates Edward for what he has done to Bella and in a spur-of-the-moment decision makes up his mind that Edward should be killed. He is so furious he does not even bother to learn the reasons Edward has done this act. Jacob goes to the Cullens' house, where his whole life is about to change. "The gravity of the earth no longer tied me to the place where I stood. It was the baby that held me here now. Renesmee" (Breaking Dawn,shmoop.com). As soon as he sets eyes on the precious, half-vampire, he knows Renesmee is his soul mate

    Read More

  • Tyranny or Ideal Society

    675 Words  | 2 Pages

    Many arguments have occurred over the centuries since the Spanish marched into the Andean highlands and took over the Incan empire, over whether the Incan's were part of an ideal human society, or just a group of tyrannical rulers. While the Incan society had created a stable political, economic, and social system in the Andean world it was far from being an ideal society. On the same note, the Incan's were not tyrannical rulers, did not exploit their subjects or take away their land for no reason. The reading entitled "Was Inca Rule Tyrannical?" discusses this argument about the Incan empire, tries to classify the form of government the Incan's lived under, and searches for the truth about what the Incan empire was really like. The truth about the Incan empire lies somewhere between the romanticized views, and the views meant to justify the Spanish conquest, while it is impossible to classify in modern terms the form of government the Incan's had.

    Read More

  • Lessons To Be Learned From the Civil War

    2737 Words  | 6 Pages

    ...nterest in limiting the spread of slavery into new states to prevent fewer plantations of the South, which could reduce the South’s economic, affecting the political power (Leidner). The final straw, Abraham Lincoln’s presidency was a major factor of the Civil War because he was a northerner, anti-slavery, southerners thought he had the Northerners interests and intended to eradicate slavery. They fretted knowing if Lincoln had the North’s best interest; the South’s political power would drop, and they would be severely damaged economically. It is clear that to every causes of the war, economics seems to be the key foundation. To the south, slaves were central part of the plantations, without slaves, the South would enter a great depression. Slaves was so important to the South’s economic, they would resort to anything to prevent slavery from being abolished, even

    Read More

  • Father and Son Relationship in Shakespeare's Hamlet

    558 Words  | 2 Pages

    In the beginning of Hamlet, the Prince behaves as any normal person would following the death of a loved one. Not only is this a loved one, but an extra special someone; it is his loving father whom he adored. Hamlet is grief stricken, depressed, and even angry that his mother remarried so soon after his father’s death. Having witnessed how his father had treated his mother with great love and respect, Hamlet cannot understand how his mother could shorten the grieving period so greatly to marry someone like Uncle Claudius.  He is incapable of rationalizing her deeds and he is obsessed by her actions.

    Read More

  • William Shakespeare Hamlet Suicide Quotes

    697 Words  | 2 Pages

    In William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Shakespeare utilizes his ability to use words to paint emotion, the story, and characters into the readers mind. Shakespeare creates the memorable character of Hamlet Junior in his poem, Hamlet, through the characteristics of insanity and madness and suicidal tendencies or thoughts of suicide. His capability of doing so enlarges the ability of the reader to understand the story, but also to construct the storyline.

    Read More

  • Incans Essay

    994 Words  | 2 Pages

    Society in the Incan Empire was made up of clans and families who lived and worked together. The social structure of the Incas had the Ruler and his wives at the top. Then came the High Priest and Army Commander in Chief. Next were the Regional Army Commanders, then the Temple Priests, architects, administrators and Army Generals. Next were the artisans, musicians, army captains and the...

    Read More

  • Inca Civilization

    2104 Words  | 5 Pages

    This paper discusses the development of a civilization defining its ten characteristics it will define why this civilization developed. For this purpose, the civilization of the Incas from South America has been selected; however, this paper will focus on a particular people of this civilization that lived in Machu Picchu. The civilization of the Incas lived on the territory of South America, in an area now occupied by the modern Peru. The capital has been located in the city of Cuzco. The name "Inca" is not given by self-people, but Europeans mistakenly gave it since the local tribes called their supreme ruler, and came to their land the Spaniards came to be called as the whole nation (Abbott & Wolfe 2003). This unique culture has existed as a unit until the 1780-1782 periods (Velasco, 1992).

    Read More

  • A Lack Of Faith In Shakespeare's Hamlet

    990 Words  | 2 Pages

    A great chain of events in "Hamlet", Shakespeare's great revenge tragedy, leads to Hamlet's own demise. His necessity for subterfuge allows him to inadvertently neglect is main objective, revenge. So much so that the ghost of his dead father appears to stipulate Hamlet's reserved behavior towards his fathers revenge. "Do not forget.

    Read More

  • Hamlet and his battle with depression

    1756 Words  | 4 Pages

    Hamlet, a young prince preparing to become King of Denmark, cannot understand or cope with the catastrophes in his life. After his father dies, Hamlet is filled with confusion. However, when his father's ghost appears, the ghost explains that his brother, Hamlet's Uncle Claudius, murdered him. In awe of the supposed truth, Hamlet decides he must seek revenge and kill his uncle. This becomes his goal and sole purpose in life. However, it is more awkward for Hamlet because his uncle has now become his stepfather. He is in shock by his mother's hurried remarriage and is very confused and hurt by these circumstances. Along with these familial dysfunctions, Hamlet's love life is diminishing. It is an "emotional overload" for Hamlet (Fallon 40). The encounter with the ghost also understandably causes Hamlet great distress. From then on, his behavior is extremely out of context (Fallon 39). In Hamlet's first scene of the play, he does not like his mother's remarriage and even mentions his loss of interest in l...

    Read More

  • Hamlet Acts Morally, Harms Others by his Actions, and Realizes his Tragic Limits

    1017 Words  | 3 Pages

    Hamlet is Shakespeare’s most famous work of tragedy. Throughout the play the title character, Hamlet, tends to seek revenge for his father’s death. Shakespeare achieved his work in Hamlet through his brilliant depiction of the hero’s struggle with two opposing forces that hunt Hamlet throughout the play: moral integrity and the need to avenge his father’s murder. When Hamlet sets his mind to revenge his fathers’ death, he is faced with many challenges that delay him from committing murder to his uncle Claudius, who killed Hamlets’ father, the former king. During this delay, he harms others with his actions by acting irrationally, threatening Gertrude, his mother, and by killing Polonius which led into the madness and death of Ophelia. Hamlet ends up deceiving everyone around him, and also himself, by putting on a mask of insanity. In spite of the fact that Hamlet attempts to act morally in order to kill his uncle, he delays his revenge of his fathers’ death, harming others by his irritating actions. Despite Hamlets’ decisive character, he comes to a point where he realizes his tragic limits.

    Read More

  • Hamlet Revenge Essay

    720 Words  | 2 Pages

    Throughout Hamlet, each character’s course of revenge surrounds them with corruption, obsession, and fatality. Shakespeare shows that revenge proves to be extremely problematic. Revenge causes corruption by changing an individual’s persona and nature. Obsession to revenge brings forth difficulties such as destroyed relationships. Finally, revenge can be the foundation to the ultimate sacrifice of fatality. Hamlet goes to show that revenge is never the correct route to follow, and it is always the route with a dead

    Read More

  • Nature of Revenge

    960 Words  | 2 Pages

    “Those who plot the destruction of others often fall for themselves” (Phaedrus). This quote was said by a Roman fabulist and it depicts the entire concept of revenge in Hamlet. The nature of revenge causes someone to act upon anger rather than reason. Hamlet takes place in Denmark and is about Hamlet’s uncle who kills his dad to gain power in Denmark. After the killing, Hamlet seeks revenge on his uncle.

    Read More

  • Condemned: Hamlet’s Moral Dilemma

    1663 Words  | 4 Pages

    Hamlet is one of the most often-performed and studied plays in the English language. The story might have been merely a melodramatic play about murder and revenge, butWilliam Shakespeare imbued his drama with a sensitivity and reflectivity that still fascinates audiences four hundred years after it was first performed. Hamlet is no ordinary young man, raging at the death of his father and the hasty marriage of his mother and his uncle. Hamlet is cursed with an introspective nature; he cannot decide whether to turn his anger outward or in on himself. The audience sees a young man who would be happiest back at his university, contemplating remote philosophical matters of life and death. Instead, Hamlet is forced to engage death on a visceral level, as an unwelcome and unfathomable figure in his life. He cannot ignore thoughts of death, nor can he grieve and get on with his life, as most people do. He is a melancholy man, and he can see only darkness in his future—if, indeed, he is to have a future at all. Throughout the play, and particularly in his two most famous soliloquies, Hamlet struggles with the competing compulsions to avenge his father’s death or to embrace his own. Hamlet is a man caught in a moral dilemma, and his inability to reach a resolution condemns himself and nearly everyone close to him.

    Read More

More about Themes of Love and Revenge in Shakespeare's Hamlet

Open Document