Hamlet And Revenge

3 Pages 828 Words

Hamlet and Revenge

In William Shakespeare’s tragedy Hamlet, revenge takes its foothold on the main character, Hamlet as he tries to avenge his father’s death. Revenge is a kind of wild justice which man’s typical nature runs toward (ERH). “The most tolerable sort of revenge is for those wrongs for which a law has not been set forth to remedy: but then let a man take heed the revenge be such, as there is no law to punish: else, a man’s enemy is still beforehand, and it is two for one (Bacon).” In all tragedies, a crime is committed and for various reasons laws and justice are unable to punish the one who committed the crime. Thus, the individual who is the main character, namely Hamlet, goes through with the vengeful act in spite of the dire consequences assured to come.
Firstly, Hamlet is approached by the ghost of his deceased father. He learns that his uncle has murdered his father. His mother is also consumed in the tragedy, in that she remarries to Hamlet’s uncle in a rather brief period of time after the King’s death. The incestuous relationship between his mother and his uncle also adds to Hamlet’s mounting fury. The apparition then, is that from which Hamlet’s revenge springs forth.
The first in Hamlet’s series of changes is one of doubt. He somewhat doubts the apparition and therefore, devises a plan in which to prove whether his uncle is the true murderer. Hamlet puts on a play, ”The Mousetrap” for the new King and Queen. In this play, Hamlet reenacts the way in which the apparition says he was killed. In the midst of the play, the King stands and walks out torn by rage. Hamlet no longer needs proof--the King’s unsettled heart made the play unbearable; thus, Hamlet knew then the source from which his revenge stemmed.
Once the period of doubt had been passed by, Hamlet then entered a state seen by many as madness. He ranted incessantly about things which no one could conjure sense from. T...