What Role Does Vengeance Play In The Tempest

398 Words1 Page
bulb-icon

Recommended: Justice and forgiveness in the tempest

Virtue is the act of showing high moral standards. Vengeance is punishment inflicted or retribution exacted for an injury or wrong. In The Tempest, both of these ideas are demonstrated clearly, but vengeance plays a much more prominent role. Although virtue has more value, vengeance is a more powerful motivator. In scene one of “Act V”, the line “the rarer action is in virtue than in vengeance,” shows that vengeance is a much more common thing in the world. The need for revenge is similar to the need for power. When vengeance is achieved, it feels as though the avenger has the upper hand. It is in human nature to crave power; Shakespeare illustrates this idea through Antonio and Sebastian. Convincingly, Antonio talked about all of the power

Show More
Related

  • Hamlet's Arrogance

    1059 Words  | 3 Pages

    Whether dead set on a xenophobic destruction of a race of people or trying to dole out a personal brand of justice, tragedy set in place by arrogance plays out the same. Robbed of peripheral vision, the victims of this pretension often act selfishly, failing to see the wrongs they commit around them and causing collateral grief. Hamlet’s faith in his divine quest to exact revenge made him mad with anger,

    Read More

  • Nature Versus Nurture in Shakespearean Literature

    1714 Words  | 4 Pages

    This paper is an argumentative essay about how villains in Shakespearean literature become evil through the circumstances around them. They are not born evil. This essay talks about Macbeth, Othello, and Romeo and Juliet, which are used to reference examples of Shakespeare’s view on the subject. Macbeth is about a man who is blinded by power and kills anything and everything that tries to take the crown from him. He is persuaded to do these things by his wife and the three witches. Othello is about a man who is tricked by Iago into believing that is wife cheated on him, which causes Othello to become outraged and kill Desdemona and then takes his own life. Romeo and Juliet is about two lovers who want to be together but cannot because of the conflict between their different cities. They are so desperate to be together that Romeo decides to take medicine that makes him appear dead. Juliet sees Romeo as dead and kills herself so they can be together and then Romeo wakes up and sees that Juliet has killed herself and so he takes his life to be with her. After the lovers die the cities decide to become allies. All of these novels have a villain that does evil things, but they do these evil things because there is some reason that leads them to it whether it is power, jealousy, or just being misled into doing evil things. They are formed evil because of the circumstances that are occurring around them.

    Read More

  • Revenge

    1798 Words  | 4 Pages

    Throughout history, revenge, or vengeance, has been altered by several cultures and even the American culture. This is shown throughout many ancient greek epics. Throughout these two epics, what is just revenge and what the action of revenge is are much different than what Revenge is seen through today’s society. Revenge is the main theme in The Iliad, with Achilles’ revenge on Agamemnon and Hector, and in The Odyssey, with Poseidon’s revenge on Odysseus and Odysseus’s revenge on the Suitors, and these epics define how revenge was seen in the ancient Greek world.

    Read More

  • Iago the Machiavellian in Othello

    1407 Words  | 3 Pages

    ...d leads to the deaths of many innocent characters and strips away each person’s individuality and trust, all for attaining power and recognition. Othello is not only a tragedy, but also an important reminder of how people are easily deceived to gain power and recognition. Shakespeare’s Othello stands as a warning to all generations. Some historians agree that William Shakespeare may have been one of the first psychologists in human history, since it enabled him to create a devious and Machiavellian character like Iago. Today, we study about psychopathic historic people like Adolf Hitler who annihilated millions of Jews in the name of revenge. It is in human nature to be vengeful and to attain what one desires. As said by Ghandi “An eye for an eye would make the world blind.”

    Read More

  • Blind Ambition in Macbeth

    855 Words  | 2 Pages

    Among the greatest gifts that the renaissance produced was the eloquent and incredible Shakespearean plays. Written mostly in the 1590s these plays have been performed and admired countless times; entertaining mass audiences by providing interesting tales that explore the depth of human insights and the different universal themes. Among the many Shakespearean plays Macbeth, written in 1606, stands out with its short composition but multiple themes. This tragedy narrates the tale of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s quest to grasp ultimate power by ignoring their morals and succumbing to their dark desires, which ultimately leads to their downfall. This tragic play portrays the desires, needs, and temptations that accompany ambition in men and women. However the ambition in Macbeth is blind, it does not abide to the morals, but it allows space for dark actions as means necessary for accomplishment. Blind ambition serves as the main driving force that drives Macbeth to subdue to his dark desires, defy his noble behavior, and ultimately his downfall.

    Read More

  • The Theme Of Revenge In Euripide's Medea

    1129 Words  | 3 Pages

    The realm of revenge often warps the mental state of characters, leading them to enact vengeance regardless of the repercussions which may permeate their world. In Shakespeare’s renowned play “Hamlet,” the main character, Prince Hamlet, is conflicted between his quest to adhere to his private passion, in regards to his eagerness to avenge his father’s death, and his need to avoid neglecting his responsibilities towards his loved ones. Further, the effects of vengeance are illustrated by Medea, the main character in Euripides’ play “Medea,” who allowed her passion for revenge to supersede her duties to her children. Despite the numerous forms of retaliation, this brutalized world is one that ceaselessly dilutes the minds of characters, leaving them ravenous for revenge and oblivious towards any repercussions.

    Read More

  • Hamlet Revenge Theme Essay

    1164 Words  | 3 Pages

    Revenge is a major theme throughout William Shakespeare’s play, Hamlet. This theme provides motivation for characters to murder each other throughout the play, whether or not characters seek revenge for themselves. Because Laertes and Hamlet are so absorbed with wanting to exact revenge upon certain people, they ultimately cause the deaths of all of the main characters in the play. Revenge is the main root of evil in this play.

    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

  • And Thematic Theme Of Forgiveness In Shakespeare's The Tempest

    1124 Words  | 3 Pages

    So forgive and forget, huh? It appears forgiveness is quite an important force in the tempest, bringing the story together beautifully. Forgiveness helps us learn about the characters in the play. Forgiveness is also what brings the play to a happy ending, but not without making one wonder whether forgiveness was really achieved. The role of forgiveness in the tempest is so significant because it is only through forgiveness that the characters truly succeed, but also because it raises the question of the extent of human forgiveness and helps the reader learn plenty about the different characters in the play. Forgiveness is of great significance to the plot and thematic context of The Tempest.

    Read More

  • The Tempest Comparative Analysis

    767 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Tempest by William Shakespeare, among other themes, is a play very centered around rivalries, an important one being the one between Prospero and Caliban. As one would naturally expect, the triumphs and failures of the ongoing conflict yield different reactions for the two different characters. The conflict illustrates a dichotomous view of the way in which people respond to failure or defeat. Whereas Caliban responds to defeat instinctively with furious acts of retaliation, Prospero reasons that when those kinds of acts are examined under the scope of logic, they appear to be unlike that of a noble and therefore, should not be undertaken.

    Read More

  • Revenge of Three Characters in Shakespeare´s Hamlet

    1215 Words  | 3 Pages

    With more than seven billion people on Earth, it is fascinating to consider how every individual is unique yet also similar in various ways. Four hundred years after it was written, Shakespeare’s Hamlet with its themes and characters is still able to illuminate the essence of individuality in human nature. In his explanation of vengeance and its varying effects and consequences, Shakespeare accomplishes such an illumination through the prism of three characters – Hamlet, Laertes, and Fortinbras – each of whom seeks vengeance for the murder of his father. Though their situations are essentially the same, each man reacts in a manner different from the others. In this respect, Hamlet and Laertes each exhibits, in his unique way, the futility and insatiable nature of revenge, while Fortinbras shows how revenge should be conducted.

    Read More

  • The Importance Of Power In Shakespeare's The Tempest

    1277 Words  | 3 Pages

    Power is a universal concept. With regards to humanity, the desire for power ― the need for control and authority for personal gain ― is present throughout history. This theme is especially prevalent in Shakespeare’s The Tempest, through the character of Prospero, who takes advantage of his magical abilities in an immoral manner, for the purpose of fulfilling his self-serving goals. Correspondingly, Shakespeare demonstrates the effects and ethical consequences of absolute power through Prospero’s abuse of his magic for personal benefit.

    Read More

  • Major Themes in "The Tempest"

    854 Words  | 2 Pages

    In William Shakespeare’s play “The Tempest,” the major themes in these play is good versus evil. There are good characters, which do good, help others and try their best to stay out of trouble and there are other characters are the exact opposite. All the characters do is tried to get even with those who hurt them, hoping that ravage would solve the problem. Good and Evil just like the theme of the book also applies to the world that we live in today because there are good people and there are bad people. Good will

    Read More

  • Hatred and Revenge

    1114 Words  | 3 Pages

    “And if you wrong us, shall we not revenge?” (3,1,59). In The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare, Antonio and Shylock hate each other. They are both given an opportunity to exact revenge, but by showing mercy, Antonio proves himself to be a man of higher morals. Through the contrasting fates of Shylock and Antonio, Shakespeare tells the audience that hatred and the relentless pursuit of revenge will lead to one’s defeat.

    Read More

  • Freedom Vs Confinement

    482 Words  | 1 Pages

    Hate and revenge are feelings of confinement that a person can be freed of. Just like the characters in the play "The Tempest" written by William Shakespeare did. The play starts of with a violent storm and shipwreck near a thought to be deserted island. The occupants of the shipwreck are washed ashore separately and think of each other as dead. Throughout the play the occupants of the island and the occupants of the ship learn about each other. In the play Shakespeare uses characterization to demonstrate the theme of Freedom v's. confinement.

    Read More

More about What Role Does Vengeance Play In The Tempest

Open Document