Themes of Love and Revenge in Shakespeares Hamlet Essay

Themes of Love and Revenge in Shakespeares Hamlet Love is one of the most powerful themes in Hamlet, but a superior force - REVENGE, drives Hamlets love. Revenge of his fathers murder. Hamlet is confused and melancholic over the fact that his mother married his own uncle and so quickly after his fathers death. Even though he does not immediately suspect foul play in his fathers untimely death, he is in a state of shock. As Kenneth Muir states, He (Hamlet) is profoundly shocked by Gertrudes marriage to his uncle in less than two months after her first husbands 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 Hamlets†¦show more content†¦Paul Cantor states that Hamlet continually hesitates to act because he will not allow himself to be swept away by his passions. His intellect is constantly leading him to deny meaning to the very acts he feels impelled to perform. To clear any uncertainty as to whether or not Claudius murdered his father, Hamlet decides to set him up. Hamlet plans a mouse trap for Claudius in which he sets up a play, for the King and Queen, to be a murder tragedy. Hamlet hopes to see Claudiuss reaction towards the murder scene in hope of establishing his guilt. The Plays the thing Wherein Ill catch the conscience of the king. (II, ii, 589-591) The play works but Hamlet does not sweep to his revenge. Why not, is he worried about Ophelia being caught up on his attempted murder? William Hazlitt states, When Hamlet is most bound to act, he remains puzzled, undecided, and sceptical, dallies with his purpose, till the occasion is lost, and finds out some pretence to relapse into indolence and thoughtfulness again. This is most likely the reason why Hamlet does not take advantage of the opportunity to kill the king when he is at his prayers. Hamlet can not have his revenge perfect as he wishes, so he declines it altogether. He kneels and prays, And now Ill dot and so he goes to heaven, And so am I revengd: that would be scannd. He killd my father, and for that, I his sole son, send him to heaven. Why this is reward, not revenge. Up sword and know thou a more horridShow MoreRelatedWilliam Shakespeare s Hamlet - Longing For Revenge1304 Words   |  6 PagesLonging for Revenge William Shakespeare was born in England in April of 1564 and was an English poet and playwright . Shakespeare is universally known as the greatest writer in the English language. Shakespeare frequently produced tragedies that are continuously acted out today, along with many plays and sonnets.. Although Shakespeare is seen today as a great writer who changed the world, his reputation did not rise to these heights until around the 19th century. In all of Shakespeare’s astoundingRead MoreEmily Bronte s Hamlet And Wuthering Heights 1307 Words   |  6 PagesRevenge in Hamlet and Wuthering Heights Abstract This concise paper is an analogical study. It consists of three parts; the first one defines the word revenge and explains where the theme of revenge comes from and how it has expended to other types of literary works until these days. The second part of the study, is supported by exemplifies Shakespeare’s tragedy, Hamlet. The last part of the paper, provides Emily Brontà «Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s novel, Wuthering Heights as a good example; because one of the main themesRead MoreThe Tragedy Of Hamlet By William Shakespeare1146 Words   |  5 Pages How certain can one be that they will see tomorrow? How certain can one be that they will see the next second? In William Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of Hamlet, all of the characters face uncertainty at some point in the story. The character of Hamlet is, for lack of a better term, a laggard; he procrastinates like no other, making him an uncertain character in his entirety. His most famous line is â€Å"To be, or not to be? That is the question.† The entire scene is about Hamlet’s uncertainty about suicideRead More Revenge In Hamlet Essay example1535 Words   |  7 Pages What do you consider to the main theme(s) of Hamlet? Shakespeare’s Hamlet is a complex play where many themes are intertwined – themes that are essential to the development of the play. The issue of death and disease, both physical and emotional is very prevalent throughout the duration of the play, as well as fate and divine providence. The play also questions madness and whether it can be feigned, as well as corruption and its moral implications. Of course, who could forget the famous ‘To beRead MoreHamlet- A Revenge Tragedy Essay705 Words   |  3 Pages Hamlet is one of Shakespeare’s most well-known tragedies. At first glance, it holds all of the common occurrences in a revenge tragedy which include plotting, ghosts, and madness, but its complexity as a story far transcends its functionality as a revenge tragedy. Revenge tragedies are often closely tied to the real or feigned madness in the play. Hamlet is such a complex revenge tragedy because there truly is a question about the sanity of the main character Prince Hamlet. Interestingly enoughRead MoreInternal Conflict And External Conflict In Shakespeares Hamlet711 Words   |  3 Pagesof the dramatic work. In William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, the protagonist, Hamlet, exhibits certain responses to external conflicts, which provoke internal conflicts and assert his character. The central inward conflict and the principal motive that this character experience is the delay in his revenge against Claudius which is caused by his conscience. The mental and emotional compl ications experienced by him throughout the play shape the events that occur. Hamlet battles his inner soul and supressesRead MoreHamlet As A Turning Point Essay1528 Words   |  7 Pagesdefying much of the traditional rules set forth. Even so, Shakespeare’s plays can still show signs of Aristotle’s elements, and his methods can provide a deeper reading into plot, character, thought (theme), diction, song, and spectacle. By analyzing Hamlet, by William Shakespeare, using Aristotle’s six elements and his definition of a turning point, one is able to uncover Hamlet’s false madness and see that his true intentions are set on revenge. The six elements are described as the most importantRead MoreEssay about Theme of Madness Conveyed in Shakespeares Hamlet1150 Words   |  5 PagesIn William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, one of the most evident and important themes is the theme of madness. The theme is apparent throughout the play, mainly through the actions and thoughts of Hamlet, Ophelia, and Laertes. Madness is defined as the quality or condition of mental illness or derangement (being insane). Madness is at the center of the conflicts and problems of the play and is conveyed through Shakespeare’s elaborate use of manipulation and parallels between Hamlet, Ophelia, and LaertesRead MoreHamlets Admiration of Fortinbras Essays617 Words   |  3 PagesShakespeare’s play, Hamlet is about the prince of Denmark, Hamlet, and his quest to gain revenge of his father’s, King Hamlet’s, vicious murder which was committed by his uncle, Claudius, in the name of power and fortune. Hamlet is, at times , indecisive and hesitant thus he admires the passionate and even violent character of Fortinbras. This passage from Hamlet, one of Shakespeare’s play, portrays the theme of the relationship of thought to action by demonstrating how Hamlet’s admiration for Fortinbras’sRead MoreHamlet: Mel Gibson vs Kenneth Branagh Essay1127 Words   |  5 PagesHamlet, a tragedy by William Shakespeare shows a lot of adaptations to movies. Hamlet by Mel Gibson (1990) and Kenneth Branagh (1996) interpret and portray the play by Shakespeare in different ways. The two film versions of Act IV of Hamlet have many differences and similarities. Kenneth Branagh’s version of Hamlet is seen covering most of the original text of Shakespeare’s play of Hamlet unlike the Mel Gibson version which omits many scenes and dialogues. The film version of Hamlet featuring Kenneth