Comparing The Moral Perspective In Shakespeare's Hamlet

Hamlet’s first words in the play say that Claudius is "A little more than kin and less than kind," indicating a dissimilarity in values between the new king and himself – introducing into the story a psychological problem, a refusal to conform, which lays the groundwork for, or previews, the upcoming pretended madness. As the future king of Denmark, the hero is expected to maintain a good working relationship with the present king, Claudius. But this is not so. Even before the apparition of the ghost, Hamlet has a very sour relationship with his uncle and stepfather, Claudius.

    In Shakespeare’s play, Hamlet, the characters of Laertes and Hamlet both display impulsive reactions when angered. Once Laertes discovers his father has been murdered, he immediately assumes the slayer is Claudius. As a result of Laertes' speculation, he instinctively moves to avenge Polonius' death. "To hell, allegiance! Vows, to the blackest devil! Conscience and grace, to the profoundest pit! I dare damnation: to this point I stand, that both worlds I give to negligence, let come what comes; only I'll be revenged most thoroughly for my father." Act 4 Scene 5 lines 128-134 provide insight into Laertes' mind, displaying his desire for revenge at any cost.

Laertes character is perhaps best known for being an obvious foil to Prince Hamlet. Both of their fathers are killed, and they both love Ophelia. Hamlet has mistakenly killed Polonius, Laertes’ father, while mistaking him for Claudius. This turn of events places Hamlet in the same role as Claudius. Laertes, like Hamlet, also lost his father and wants to make Hamlet pay for his father’s death. Unlike Hamlet however, Laertes shows his passionate reaction very openly when he says that he will throw "conscience and grace to the profoundest pit" (IV, V 129) and is ready without any hesitation to take revenge. Laertes comes back to Denmark, knowing of his father’s death, and goes up to Claudius and says"…to hell, allegiance! Vows, to the blackest devil! Conscience and grace, to the profoundest pit! I dare damnation: to this point I stand that both worlds I give to negligence. Let come what comes; only I'll be revenged most thoroughly for my father” (IV V 128-134). This provides insight into Laertes’s mind, showing that he will never cease gaining his revenge. However, Laertes is a man of action similar to Fortinbras. His reaction to his father's death is very different from Hamlet's response to the news of his own father's murder. Comparing Laertes and Hamlet, Laertes displays impulsive reactions when angered. Once Laertes discovers his father has been murdered, he immediately assumes the person guilty of killing him is Claudius. Returning home from France, Laertes hears the news about his father and sister’s death, and takes immediate action. He gathered up a crowd of followers and invades the castle. He is not a man to sit down quietly waiting for an opportunity, which is how he differs from Hamlet as Laertes shows that he makes very rash decisions. In the play and Branagh’s film, Laertes is foil to Hamlet because Laertes displays qualities that differ from and are

When Hamlet hears a noise behind a curtain, and stabs at it wildly, assuming it is the man who killed his father, he finds out it is his friend Polonius, the father of Ophelia. After Ophelia learns of her father’s death, she loses touch with reality, and drowns. Once Hamlet decided to take action, he had no control over the actions of his revenge, which consequently led to his girlfriend’s death. Also, Laertes, the son of Polonius, after learning of his father’s murder by Hamlet, concocts a plot of his murder. He poisons a rapier to kill Hamlet, but Hamlet unknowingly uses that same poison against him. Laertes´ desire for revenge against Hamlet led to his own death from his own actions. After being poisoned in his duel with Hamlet, he says “I am justly killed with mine own treachery” (5.2.338). The characters who pursued these acts of vengeance expected satisfaction, but the opposite occurred. Thus, Hamlet, undermines the belief that revenge gives satisfaction and relief to the pursuer, especially because of Shakespeare’s acknowledgement of the drastic consequences. Finally, the play offers the idea that for both parties, revenge can be forgiven, which is more satisfactory than any other

Laertes also brings revenge and betrayal out of Hamlet. Though an enemy, Laertes is a foil to Hamlet. Laertes helps in the development of Hamlet through the similarities they share. These include anger over the death of their fathers, and desire to exact revenge. Betrayal is also relevant because Laertes betrays Claudius in the end, revealing his plan to kill Hamlet. Hamlet betrays his father by verbally abusing his mother, against the wishes of his father. The differences between the two men are very strong. Hamlet would not kill Claudius in the church because he was praying. Laertes, however stated that he would kill Hamlet in a church, praying or not. Another difference is that Hamlet cannot be a man of action and a man of thought at the same time. He does not use his mind when he acts. He just acts. When he is pondering something, he is unable to act out his thoughts, and keeps quiet. Laertes, however, is able to act while thinking. He finds out that Hamlet killed his father and immediately devises a plan to kill him. This flaw makes Hamlet dangerous to himself, and is ultimately his downfall.

Laertes acts as a foil for Hamlet and develops Hamlet’s character in many ways seen by the audience; Laertes character develops Hamlet’s intelligence. When Laertes comes back to Denmark to get revenge for his father’s death, Claudius easily manipulates him. “To thine own peace. If he be now return'd, As checking at his voyage, and that he means no more to undertake it, I will work him to an exploit, now ripe in my device, under the which he shall not choose but fall. And for his death no wind of blame shall breathe, but even his mother shall un charge the practice and call it accident.” (Act IV Scene VII, Lines 60-70) Claudius comes up with a plan to kill Hamlet without having to be the murderer; therefore it is Laertes that will look guilty

To begin, Claudius killed king Hamlet. When Hamlet met up with the ghost, the ghost told him that Claudius killed him (king Hamlet). In addition to that, when Hamlet sets up the play, Claudius leaves because of the poison scene and how that reminds him of killing King Hamlet. In this quote, "'Tis given out that, sleeping in my orchard, - A serpent stung me. So the whole ear of Denmark - Is by a forged process of my death - Rankly abused. But know, thou noble youth, - The serpent that did sting thy father's life - Now wears his crown" (I.iiiii.35-40). This quote explains how

William Shakespeare’s Hamlet is the tragedy of consequences that stems from evil crimes. The play begins with the appearance of the ghost of King Hamlet, following the sudden marriage of Hamlet’s mother and uncle. On the surface Prince Hamlet’s uncle, Claudius, “seems” interested in the state of Denmark and being Hamlet’s new “father”; however, it is apparent that underneath the façade, Claudius is selfish and manipulative. It is later revealed, that Claudius commits an “unnatural” deed of murdering his own brother to satisfy two of his desires: the throne and his need to have Gertrude to himself. Shakespeare uses biblical allusions to illustrate the heinous crime that Claudius commits for his own ambition.

“He that can have patience can have what he will.” (Franklin). Patience is a skill revolved around accepting or tolerating delay. The play, Hamlet, written from the late 1500s to the early 1600s, is one of the most famous works of William Shakespeare. In the play, the protagonist, Prince Hamlet of Denmark, has mastered such skill. There are several theories about why Prince Hamlet delayed killing his uncle. First of all, Hamlet does not want to send Claudius to heaven by killing him at prayer. Additionally, Hamlet feels the need to publicize what happened and consequently waits to murder Claudius until the truth is revealed. Lastly, Hamlet suffered from an Oedipal Complex and displayed various characteristics of the Oedipus Complex. This term describes a child's feelings of affection for their opposite-sex parent. These points illustrate that Hamlet was self-composed enough to wait to end the life of King Claudius for many different reasons.

Often an honourable person (such as king Hamlet) will forgive those who have wronged them and respect their mistake or honest effort to defeat them. However, when one uses trickery and underhanded methods in an attempt to gain the upper hand, all such chivalry and moral code falls to pieces. Obeying his father’s command, Hamlet is brought into the matter and in turn follows in his footsteps to avenge and denounce Claudius. After learning about what his uncle had done, Hamlet concludes that he is a “remorseless, treacherous, lecherous, kindless villain” in a moment of passion. There is not shred of opinion towards Claudius that is not coloured with detestation fuelled by the thought of his dastardly acts.

Laertes loses his family because of Hamlet’s actions. His father is killed by him and his sister kills herself because of her grief. Laertes and King Claudius begin to plot Hamlet’s murder, planning to poison him, by drink or wound, whichever comes first. However, the plan backfires on the both of them and Laertes dies from his own blade, but not before saying “The King, the King’s to blame.”

Claudius is introduced as a coward when it is revealed that he murdered King Hamlet with poison. When the Ghost, the ghost of King Hamlet, tells Hamlet about how he was killed, the Ghost says, “Now, Hamlet, hear: / 'Tis given out that, sleeping in my orchard, / A serpent stung me. / So the whole ear of Denmark / Is

Character's often at times play a major role in developing themes throughout many sources of literature. Shakespeare's play Hamlet serves as an optimal example of this as he enhances the themes of revenge, morality, and deception though various personalities of his character's.. The author presents the theme of morality through many characters. The theme of morality is present with characters such as the ghost of King Hamlet, Laertes and Hamlet. Also, in many scenes of the play, the audience witnesses the theme of revenge. The audience observes revenge with the protagonist of the play, Hamlet. Furthermore, Deceit is another theme from the beginning until the end. Deception plays a major part in the play with many of the character's such as Polonius, King Claudius and Hamlet as they deceive their peers. In the play, Hamlet, the themes of revenge, morality, and deceit are portrayed within the characters.

Revenge is a recurring theme in Hamlet. Although Hamlet wants to avenge his father’s death, he is afraid of what would result from this. In the play Hamlet, Hamlet’s unwillingness to revenge appears throughout the text; Shakespeare exhibits this through Hamlet’s realization that revenge is not the right option, Hamlet‘s realization that revenge is the same as the crime which was already committed, and his understanding that to revenge is to become a “beast” and to not revenge is as well (Kastan 1).

Laertes meanwhile, had initially been a very noble youth, who is had presumeably been an honourable figure throughout most of the play. However, when his father is murdered, as he tries to seek revenge for honour, he instead becomes an instrument for Claudius evil plot. Thus, he becomes engaged in the immoral schemes of Claudius, and even though he does admit that such doings are against my conscience, he still conspires to end Hamlets life in a dishonest manner. Thus, as a result of his lapse in judgement, he, like the other villains in the play, is condemned to death. However, before his death, he is redeemed when he admits that he had been justly killed with my own treachery. Thus, in this case, his underlying integrity, in the end, is able to free him from heavens judgement, and a more honourable death is restored to him, as compared to the previously mentioned villains. Had Laertes taken his fathers advise and been true to oneself, he may have gained a more rewarding end. Thus, we are again able to