Hamlet A Quest for Revenge Essay - 1697 Words

Many scholars classify William Shakespeares The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark as a revenge tragedy, a genre popular during the Elizabethan era (Gainor 41). Shakespeares tragedy focuses on three sons–Hamlet, Laertes, and Fortinbras–seeking retribution for the unfortunate death of their fathers– King Hamlet, Polonius, and King Fortinbras respectively. In the play, the father-son relationship is the primary motivator for each sons revenge. Because Elizabethan society places a strong emphasis on the relationship between father and son, each son feels obligated to right his fathers wrongs. According to Fredric B. Tromly, author of Fathers and Sons in Shakespeare: The Debt Never Promised, â€Å"A defining . . . feature of Shakespeare’s†¦show more content†¦Moreover, likening his situation to a lack of pregnancy demonstrates that Hamlet has yet to formulate a plan to achieve his goal. In fact, Hamlet does not devise a plan until the next act, and even then, he is slow to act. As King Claudius confesses his sins, Hamlet hides behind him, sword drawn. Thinking aloud, he prompts, Now might I do it pat now a is praying/ And now Ill dot/ . . . / and so a goes to heaven,/ And so I am revenged. That would be scanned./ A villain kills my father, and for that/ I, his sole son, do this same villain send/ To heaven (Hamlet III. iv. 71-78). Hamlet has the prime opportunity to kill his fathers murderer, but he hesitates. The princes judgment is clouded not only by his religious beliefs, but also by his own selfishness. In this verse alone, Hamlet mentions I four times, while he mentions his father only once. This self-centered nature further hinders the princes plan for revenge. Although Hamlet initially swears he will never forget the ghost while seeking retribution (Hamlet. I. v. 112-113), his focus slowly shifts from his father to his own self-interest. In fact, in his final soliloquy, Hamlet laments over his tragic situation: How s tand I, then,/ That I have a father killed, a mother stained,/ Excitements of my reason and my blood,/ And let all sleep while, to myShow MoreRelatedHamlet s Quest For Revenge971 Words   |  4 PagesHamlet’s father accuses his brother of murdering him treacherously for the throne, Hamlet’s quest for revenge begins. Prior to this scene, the character of the soon to be quester, Hamlet, is set up so that he will have an apparent motive. â€Å"So excellent a King, that was to this Hyperion to a satyr, so loving to my mother that he might not beteem the winds of Heaven visit her face too roughly.† (I.ii(139-142)) Hamlet, who holds his father at a high regard, also expresses disdain for Claudius, calling himRead More Hamlet Essay599 Words   |  3 Pages The Revenge of Prince Hamlet nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Shakespeare’s, Hamlet, is a wonderfully written play that has many tangled webs of lies, betrayal, and revenge. The play starts off with the death of Hamlets father, the king. One night Hamlet sees the ghost of his dead father. The ghost speaks to Hamlet and tells him that he was killed by Claudius. 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Although these allusions function separately fromRead MoreAnalysis Of Hamlet By William Shakespeare1338 Words   |  6 Pagesplay Hamlet by William Shakespeare, who is one of the most influential writers of all time. In the play, Hamlet’s father, the king of Denmark, dies; which in turn causes his uncle Claudius to marry Hamlet’s mother and ascend to the throne. This new arrangement does not agree with Hamlet, especially after finding out it was his uncle who killed his father. Thus begins his journey of revenge while making it his mission to exploit the truth. Through the character of Hamlet, in the play Hamlet, ShakespeareRead MoreThe Psychoanalytic Criticism Scope Of Hamlet900 Words   |  4 PagesHamlet is one the best known works of Willian Shakespeare, a play that emphasizes revenge, as one of the major topics . The main character hamlet is driven by all of this revenge matter , and ends up physically killing 2 pe ople, Claudius and Polonius, as well as indirectly causing the deaths of 5 other characters throughout the play. It is a Play that leaves us with uncertainty and doubts , we can go either way, we could see hamlet as a protagonist who seeks justice for his father’s murder or anRead MoreThe Tragic Hero Of Hamlet By William Shakespeare1094 Words   |  5 Pagesgrave and then their sins will be what remains to stain their images. I believe this is the case for the young Prince Hamlet, a tragic hero he was, it appears that many readers forget what Hamlet was trying to achieve. In conclusion, I believe that readers do not recognize the champion that Hamlet was, Hamlet is a victorious protagonist that avenged his father, and with his revenge, he created a legacy of his name that has lasted generations. What is victory? How do we as humans know when we areRead MoreHamlet as So Much More Than a Traditional Revenge Tragedy Essay1713 Words   |  7 PagesHamlet as So Much More Than a Traditional Revenge Tragedy Although Shakespeare wrote Hamlet closely following the conventions of a traditional revenge tragedy, he goes far beyond this form in his development of Hamlets character. Shakespeares exploration of Hamlets complex thoughts and emotions is perhaps more the focus of the play rather than that of revenge, thus in Hamlet Shakespeare greatly develops and enhances the form of the traditional revenge tragedy. Read MorePersonalities of Hamlet in William Shakespeare ´s Play by the Same Name599 Words   |  3 Pagestragedy, Hamlet, William Shakespeare presents Hamlet as one of the most distinguishable characters due his quest to avenge his father’s death. Hamlet Throughout the play, he is given various voices: as an avenger, as a moralist, and as a philosopher. In this essay, I will be explaining these personalities of Hamlet in depth. The voice of Hamlet as an avenger is observed across the play after the ghost of old king Hamlet reveals that Claudius is the individual who murdered him. Hamlet commences