Hamlet 's Search For Justice

Although Hamlet shows himself as indecisive and insecure, towards the end of the story he does show some act of courage; enough to finally go and kill King Claudius. At first, he finds himself procrastinating at the matter, because he comes up behind King Claudius while he’s praying. He originally planned on killing him right then and there, but wait! Hamlet stops and lets his inner coward win over yet again. After a series of deep thoughts, he does decide to kill his uncle, and realizes that he must go through with his plan quickly, before Hamlet himself is killed.

Hamlet had the opportunity to kill Claudius at the chapel but restrained himself, he believed it was too good of a death for Claudius and that if he were killed his sins would be forgiven. This shows his lack of action and proves he is a procrastinator. In his soliloquies he constantly criticizes himself for the obvious avoidance of responsibility saying, "Am I a coward? Who calls me villain? breaks my pate across? Plucks off my beard, and blows it in my face? Tweaks me by the nose? gives me the lie i' the throat, as deep as to the lungs? who does me this?" (Act 2 Sc. 2, 571-575)

Hamlet really wanted the revenge on Claudius but was really on the fence of what to actually do to follow through with then plan. Claudius was brave to feel so free, as Hamlet had opportunities to take advantage of him and had plenty of hate towards him for more than one reason. The action Hamlet may want and outcome of it, may be completely different as to what his father would do or like him to do.

In the book of Hamlet there were many opportunities to take his revenge but Hamlet found reasons not to. He always found ways to procrastinate until the end of the book. It came to a point where he was a danger to everyone around him. If he would have killed Claudius the first chance he got many lives could have been spared. Hamlet has proved throughout the story he had difficulty taking his revenge by killing King Claudius.

This, in turn, exploits Hamlet’s similar flaw of ego and furthers the conflict, but what’s more, it illustrates Claudius’ sheer audacity and lack of repentance. He continues to try to cover up the sin and appease Hamlet into complacency rather than confess and ask for forgiveness. In a mark of pure arrogance, Claudius tells Hamlet to “throw to earth / This unprevailing woe and think of us / As of a father”, conceitedly requesting that Hamlet merely forget the murder and replace his father with the murderer himself (I, ii, 110-112). Similarly, instead of directly confronting Hamlet about his mental condition, the king more or less hires Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to spy on the prince, again cementing his smug mindset. The king does not believe he can be caught or, rather, that Hamlet is competent enough to figure out his plan and foil him. Claudius, too, thinks only of himself after Hamlet’s inadvertent killing of Polonius, pondering “how shall this bloody deed be answered? / It will be laid to us” instead of considering the ramifications of the murder with respect to Hamlet (4.1.17-18). The other two paper-thin traps the king hatches only reinforce his failure to see beyond the apparent; his attempt to deport Hamlet to England and have him killed reeks of treachery and, luckily, Hamlet realizes the king’s subterfuge, crushing the plot and flipping it back on him. Claudius remains steadfast in his efforts to remove Hamlet, going so far as to set up a

Since the early scenes in the play, Hamlet has been determined to kill Claudius because Claudius murdered Hamlet’s father in order to become king of Denmark. His anger internally drives him to avenge his father’s death, which is portrayed in Act III Scene III when Hamlet says, “And so I am revenged... A villain kills my father; and for that/ I, his sole son, do this same villain send/To heaven” (Lines 77-80). As the play progresses, it is difficult for Hamlet to kill Claudius due to numerous obstacles that arise.

In act 3 scene 3 Claudius is praying and confessing his sins to God. If Hamlet were to kill him then and there, Claudius would not go to hell where Hamlet believes he deserves to go. That judgement is not up to Hamlet. But he decides to take the power of that decision into his own hands. Hamlet is also greedy with knowledge.

The first chance he gets to kill Claudius, he decides not to because it appears that Claudius is “confessing his sins” (3.3.86) and he didn’t want Claudius to go to heaven. Hamlet blamed Claudius for the murder of his father and

Hamlet wanted to seek revenge so badly. When they acted out the play, Hamlet meant for it to make Claudius feel guilty hoping his emotions would show through. Claudius just walked out. Another scene that shows his madness is when Claudius is praying. Hamlet does not want to kill him because he will go to heaven if he is praying, and Hamlet believes he needs to die in a state of sin. People do not know how to properly cope with their anger so they often just act out in madness before thinking about it, which could cause mistakes. Hamlet thought he was killing Claudius behind the curtain but turns out it was Polonius instead. He accidently killed someone, and that can never be

At times, we allow our better judgment to be clouded by the emotions we conceal deep within. These moments, usually occur after brutalization caused by something or someone, making the line between vendetta and righteousness, nearly non-existent .Like a wilted white rose dipped in blood, the anguish from our lacerations distorts and sullies the purity of the soul creating a desolate void of hatred. Justice and revenge is there a difference, is one more virtuous? We see this struggle between justice and revenge in William Shakespeare’s play Hamlet. In, Hamlet, Hamlet, Fortinbras, and Laertes were all wronged and take separate paths of retribution.

Recently, I saw a Ghost in the castle watch towers who resembles my deceased father, King Hamlet. I am unaware of whether or not the Ghost, which appears at night is the late king or if I am hallucinating. Tonight, the Ghost told me something that astonished me; he told me how his death occurred, and why my mother, Gertrude married my uncle, Claudius. He told me that my uncle poisoned him while he was sleeping in the orchard and thaI believe the difference between “taking revenge” and “getting justice” is the means to the end. In my opinion, revenge is more of a personal act whereas justice is not.

Numerous characters in Hamlet by William Shakespeare go through the journey in search of justice, but Hamlet is the one character who stands out amongst the rest of them. When Hamlet learns the truth of how his father, King Hamlet, dies, he is motivated to seek righteousness. He goes on an expedition involving well thought out plans to execute his uncle, King Claudius. His understanding of justice is based on his knowledge of religion and what is best for the country as a whole. Although Hamlet knows that killing Claudius is not the right thing to do, he decides to seek revenge to get justice.

Throughout the play, Hamlet gains the confidence to seek revenge on King Claudius through becoming certain that he murdered his father. Unless Claudius actually murdered his father, there would be no justification for Hamlet to kill him. As the possibility of Claudius being the murder was only introduced by the apparition of King Hamlet, Hamlet is uncertain of whether this is true. Therefore, Hamlet’s goals are to collect evidence of this murder that would make him more confident in the justification of his revenge. Hamlet is initially willing to gain revenge on King Claudius, as seen with Hamlet’s encounter with the apparition of his deceased father.

Unlike most behavior of individuals seeking revenge out of anger, Hamlet considers the consequences of his actions. What would the people think if he killed the King, his uncle? What would people think about the prince, himself? What kind of effect would it have on his mother? Hamlet considers questions of this type which in effect hasten his decision. After all, once his mother is dead and her feelings are completely out of the picture, Hamlet doesn’t even have to second guess himself into killing Claudius. Once Hamlet is certain that Claudius is the killer, that’s when he is ready and plans everything in order to have Claudius death. This is the first time that he is actually following through with his plans and his

“To take him in the purging of his soul when he is fit and seasoned for his passage? No. Up, sword, and know thou a more horrid hent.” (cite). This shows that Hamlet not only wishes to achieve revenge, but a “perfect revenge.” When one would assume Hamlet would be contempt with the idea of just killing Claudius, he insists on making sure he suffers, even in the afterlife. Hamlet already flirts the line between pretending to be insane and being insane and this situation further proves it. Liken it to a serial killer sadistically torturing their victims, Hamlet has an exact way he wants to get back at Claudius, so combining this what appears to be a blurred line between Hamlet’s façade of insanity and his actual insanity, a fatal flaw emerges. Hamlet’s inaction due to his inability to distinguish between what the “insane” Hamlet wants, and what the actual Hamlet wants ends up negatively affecting him here. Due to the fact this inaction occurs at a pivotal moment in the play, one can assume this inaction continues to reoccur in other moments throughout the