Hamlet Research Paper

Words: 1513
Pages: 7

The Revenge Amongst the Characters of Hamlet
"But that the dread of something after death, The undiscover'd country, from whose bourn No traveler returns, puzzles the will, And makes us rather bear those ills we have, Than fly to others that we know not of? Thus conscience does make cowards of us all, and thus the native hue of resolution is sicklied o'er with the pale cast of thought"(Shakespeare pg.124). Revenge causes one to act blindly through anger, rather than through reason. It is based on the principle of an eye for an eye, but this principle is not always an intelligent theory to live by. Fortinbras, Laertes, and Hamlet were all looking to avenge the deaths of their fathers. They all act on emotion, and this leads to the

Hamlet is very unsure of himself though he needs time to think things over and let things settle in his mind. But Hamlet then changes and reveals his anger and disgust in thinking why would he not avenge his father that loved him so much. To display this he says, "why, what an ass am I! This is most brave, that I, the son of a dear father murdered, prompted to my revenge by heaven and hell, must like a whore, unpack my heart with words and fall a-cursing like a very drab" (Shakespeare pg 118). Hamlet still is very hesitant though he really doesn't want to rush into it he wants the absolute truth. So to do this he sets up some arrangements as he asks to watch a play and the actors come to his castle to put it on. As the actors were at the castle Hamlet talks to one of them in private and asks them to put on a play called "The Murder of Gonzaga". Hamlet knows of this play and knows that there is a murder in the play much resembling the murder of his father. Hamlet says, "I'll have these players play something like the murder of my father before mine uncle. I'll observe his looks, I'll tent him to the quick."(Shakespeare pg 118). Claudius goes to see the play and as that murder presents itself he is utterly disgusted and yells to turn on the lights and stop the play. This reveals to Hamlet that his uncle is truly the murderer of his father and that Hamlet must kill him. Hamlet now starts his planning as to how he will kill Claudius.