Diversity And Ambition In Hamlet

In Shakespeare's Hamlet, Laertes and Hamlet both lose a father by unnatural and sudden death. The unnatural death of the father is brought on by someone close to the son. When Laertes discovers that his father is dead, he is outraged. When Hamlet learns from the ghost of his father's murder, he weeps, and promises action, though he delivers none. Both Laertes and Hamlet grieve deeply for their fathers, but Laertes acts upon this grief while Hamlet carefully plots his revenge and waits for the perfect moment to avenge King Hamlet. Laertes' unplanned action causes his death by his own sword, while Hamlet's apparent inaction finally gets him the revenge that Laertes has attempted. Though Laertes' grief at his father's death causes his

When he returns, he is furious and plans to demolish Claudius because the funeral was small and quiet which raised suspicion as to how his father died. “That drop of blood that’s calm proclaims me bastard, / Cries, “Cuckold!” to my father, brands the “harlot” / Even here between the chaste unsmirched brow / Of my mother” (4.5.93-96). Laertes is a threat to Claudius at this point because he had citizens supporting him and following him to see the king. After confronting Claudius and threatening him, he falls under Claudius’ manipulation. Together the two set up a plan to kill Hamlet that is in place to ultimately preserve Claudius’ power. If Hamlet dies, suspicion arising from his own sin will disappear. Claudius does not achieve this goal because he killed in midst of a gruesome

In the first place, the opening lines of Hamlet’s soliloquy uncovers his innermost feelings about all the events that are occurring around him. His father’s death and his mother remarrying his uncle, have all impacted him so much that he is thinking about ways to escape this world. “Oh, that this too, too sullied flesh would melt (…), / Or that the Everlasting had not fixed / His canon 'gainst self-slaughter!”

The dictionary defines personal ambition as “An earnest desire for some type of achievement or distinction, as power, honour, fame, or wealth and the willingness to strive for its attainment”. (Dictionary.com) One could argue that too much ambition can be a negative trait. By placing such an emphasis on personal ambition it causes some to push their loved ones away in order to achieve what they want. Within most people, unhappiness is a common feeling and in extreme results, it leads to death. In the texts Fifth Business by Robertson Davies and William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, it is evident when the strongest characters place power and ambition above all else they crumble.

Through the common loss of their father’s, Laertes and Fortinbras highlight Hamlet’s conflict between his reason and passion. Laertes receives news regarding his father, Polonius’s murder and assumes that King Claudius is responsible. Laertes’s speculation causes him to threaten Claudius, “Only I’ll be revenged most thoroughly for my father” (4.5.128-134). In contrast to Laertes’s judgment, Prince Hamlet is revealed to have killed Polonius out of the belief that Polonius was Claudius. Through the progression of this plot, Laertes is shown as an individual who acts on passion and disregards reason to investigate the truth of Polonius’s murder.

Hamlet and Laertes play a big role in the play's most important theme; revenge. Hamlet's father, King Hamlet was killed by Claudius and after appearing to Hamlet as a ghost in Act 1 Scene 4, Hamlet's sole purpose becomes seeking revenge for his deceased father. "And so'a goes to heaven; and so am I reveng'd." (Act 3 Scene 3) Hamlet, in his long soliloquy ponders about killing Claudius to seek his father's revenge. Polonius, Laertes' father was murdered behind a tapestry while Hamlet had gone to speak to his mother. Later, when Laertes demands to see his father, Claudius tells him that he is guiltless for his death and Laertes says: "Let come what comes, only I'll be reveng'd Most thoroughly for my father." (Act 4 Scene 1). In this quote he is expressing his anger and describing his feelings about the loss of his father. His intentions resemble that of Hamlet's in his sixth soliloquy.

Hamlet and Laertes are similar in the way they associate with their families. Laertes respects and loves his father Polonius and Hamlet holds a great respect for his dead father, who Hamlet compares his father to the sun god, "Hyperion". After the death of both their fathers, Hamlet and Laertes seek revenge on the murders. Hamlet and Laertes both show different attitudes towards females. Laertes gives Ophelia guidance on her relationship with Hamlet and Hamlet is able to persuade Gertrude that he is not mad and manipulates her to follow his instructions. Hamlet tells his mother to convince Claudius of Hamlet's madness. He is able to make his mother reflect upon her part in the death of his father and feel guilt "Thou turn'st mine eyes into my very soul, and there I see such black and grained spots as will not leave their tinct." (Shakespeare 1997 3.4.90-93). The father's of Laertes and Hamlet both attempted to use spies to gain information on their sons. Claudius hamlets uncle and step-father. Claudius employed Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to gather information on Hamlet and Polonius sends Reynaldo to check up on Laertes. Hamlet becomes outraged that Claudius is spying on him which then results in Hamlet mistakenly killing Polonius. Laertes becomes angered at the death of his father and boldly seeks vengeance against Claudius.

This gives Claudius with the opportunity to create much chaos by organising Hamlet’s murder and killing Queen Gertrude and Laertes in the process. Hamlet becomes obsessed by his pursuit for vengeance and restoring order after he determines that Claudius is the In fact guilty for murdering his father. Unfortunately, Hamlet fails to murder Claudius many times when he is given the opportunity because it conflicts with his desire for revenge; Hamlet delays killing Claudius because he desires for Claudius to die with his "crimes broad blown” and much like hamlets father have to suffer the consequences of unforgiven sins in the hereafter. This desire is very strong because Hamlet’s father suffers for his sins in his afterlife, but at that particular time it was not possible for Claudius to endure the same suffering if Hamlet murdered him because Claudius was praying while Hamlet had the opportunity to kill him. In this way, Hamlet is in fact struggling to restore order, and he is at a low point in his struggle when he fails to take his opportunity to kill Claudius. Hamlet’s inability to act on Claudius’s death due to his pure desire for vengeance gives Claudius the chance to plot Hamlet’s murder, which results in the duel between Hamlet and Laertes, two respected and loved men who should not be in

Throughout William Shakespeare’s play, Hamlet, the prince of Denmark experiences a great betrayal of blood and country that causes him to question the very idea of human nature. Trapped between crippling indecision and the massive pressure to avenge his father, Hamlet represents a truly human character whom struggles with the complexities of his own and other’s motivations. In analyzing two soliloquys from act two and four, the total evolution of Hamlet’s character becomes apparent as he finally experiences a schism upon realization that if human nature is inherently rotten and selfish, the ends may as well justify the means, regardless of consequences.

Novels are not limited to written works only, Hamlet being a great example of this. It is amazing to think how to this day Hamlet is still known, being written nearly five centuries ago. Could it really be possible for William’s Hamlet to still be enjoyed around the world? Someone could think about setting, time, purpose, the use of specific words, and objected audience as an effect to the text. Positively nor negatively. Concluding that William correctly chose these listings being the setting, time, purpose, word choice, and intended audience. That is what makes Hamlet still enjoyable today. Would Hamlet have been the same if these listings would have been disparate?

As an astute and religious scholar it is difficult for Hamlet to enact his promise to avenge his father. Hamlet’s religious beliefs make him question the legitimacy of the spirit’s righteousness. Hamlet does not trust the spirit because he is aware that it could be a demon playing tricks on him. Furthermore Hamlet is not a man that will act without reason but constantly contemplates his situations rationally. Hamlet’s religious views hinders him from slaying Claudius in perfect opportunities. “Now he is praying; and now I’ll do’t. And so he goes to heaven” (3. 4. 73-75). Hamlet wants nothing more then to know that his father received justice, but with Claudius praying for redemption that justice will be taken from him. At that moment when Hamlet is going to execute Claudius for his crimes he stops to realize that Claudius will be forgiven for his sins. For a murderer and irresponsible leader to be forgiven in one moment, Hamlet cannot tolerate it and halts. If Laertes were to be in that situation he would have avenged his father without a second thought; unlike Hamlet who had the patience to reflect on his religious beliefs and stop him momentarily. Revenge would have selfishly brought Hamlet pleasure, but he seeks closure for his father’s wrongful death.

In William Shakespeare’s play, Hamlet, much of the underlying reasoning and causes for subsequent actions are seen in Act II. The plot begins to thicken and the reader starts to anticipate or even assume what will happen next. It is in this act that Hamlet’s central image starts to develop and even shift his external conflict to more of an internal one. As a result, his relationships with people become more strained and end up playing as an element in his act of madness.

However, Hamlet is lead to the realization that he is unable to show this much emotion about the death of his own father. Despite this realization, his lack of passion remains, as he is unable to kill Claudius after getting clear evidence that he was guilty during the play. It was not enough motivation to get him to kill Claudius, but it made Hamlet realize how impassionate he was towards the situation. Later, before Hamlet is about to be sent to England, Hamlet crosses paths with the army of Fortenbras. He is impressed with how brave and ambitious Fortenbras is. He is even more impressed with the soldiers, who he states will “go to their graves like beds, fight for a plot – Whereon the numbers cannot try the cause” (4.4.65-66). He contrasts the mindset of the soldiers with his own life. “How stand I, then, - That have a father killed, a mother stained, - Excitements of my reason and my blood, - And let all sleep” (4.4.59-61). These soldiers are able to how so much determination and are willing to fight for a worthless plot of land, yet Hamlet is unable to complete something much more important. Hamlet is so hesitant to kill Claudius, yet these men are risking their lives for something or little to no value. This realization provides the motivation Hamlet needs to realize that he must carry out what the ghost told him to do. “My thoughts be bloody or be nothing worth!” (4.4.69). Hamlet knows that he must kill Claudius, and with the motivation form what he saw, he does that shortly after returning to

In the the story Hamlet, Shakespeare teaches the reader multiple lessons on what the reader should know in their daily life. One of the things in Hamlet Shakespeare tries to teach the reader is that goals that many people want to achieve such as a dream job, or a dream house, or just a task in general can be achieved but with many obstacles and immolations throughout the process of doing so.

In William Shakespeare's play, “Hamlet”, he communicates that people react to certainty and uncertainty in different ways. Not only can it affect the people around them, but it can affect their own lives as well. For some people, the doubt could get to their head and cause an anxious response where it could lead to a destructive path for themselves and can really hurt the people they care about most.