How Revenge Lead To Tragedy Essay - 1459 Words

How Revenge Lead to Tragedy Revenge played a major part in Shakespeare’s Hamlet. In the play, the main character Hamlet has to decide whether or not to avenge his father’s death by killing his uncle Claudius. Hamlet’s indecisiveness caused many to lose their lives. Hamlet had the opportunity to kill Claudius, but did not take it. â€Å"The uncertainty about the nature of the old King s death also confuses the matter. Hamlet feels unable to take revenge unless he is absolutely sure of Claudius guilt† (Themes). If Hamlet had taken the opportunity and killed him, the entire story might have played out very differently. Hamlet’s desire for revenge led to the tragedy of the kingdom. In the beginning of the play, Hamlet met a ghost that closely†¦show more content†¦Hamlet experienced great pain due to his father s death, and his mother appeared unimpeached. Hamlet’s certainty about Claudius’ murder of his father became his undoing. His anger, already kindled by his mother’s marriage, now exploded. Hamlet became certain that he wanted to go through with his plan for revenge. Claudius never had thoughts of taking revenge on Hamlet until he realized that he had become aware of his guilt in the murder of his own brother. Claudius’ emotions are feelings of revenge because of his desire to possess what the King had; what he thought he deserved. He wanted the throne and the queen, so he killed him to get those things. Hamlet wanted to make Claudius aware that he knew what he had done, so he held a play. In an effort to cover his guilt following the performance, Claudius knew that he would have to take revenge on Hamlet by killing him. He knew that if he killed Hamlet everyone would get very angry because of their love for him. So instead, he sent Hamlet to England to die there. Claudius’ plan did not work because Hamlet, on the ship to England, found out about it. Claudius devised a new plan; which involved the deception of Laertes. He told Laertes that Hamlet had killed his father Polonius. This revelation now gives Laertes a reason to take reve nge upon Hamlet. Claudius says, â€Å"Not that I think you did not love your father, But that I knowShow MoreRelated Revenge and Vengeance in Shakespeares Hamlet - Why Revenge?1054 Words   |  5 PagesRevenge in Hamlet        Ã‚  Ã‚   In Elizabethan times, a type of play known as a revenge tragedy became popular. These plays revolved around, ... the revenge of a father for a son or vice versa, the revenge being directed by the ghost of the murdered man... (Harmon and Holman #6). Other characteristics include real or pretend insanity, philosophic soliloquies, hesitation on the part of the protagonist, conspiracy, and the use of horror. 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