Revenge As A Critical Theme Of Revenge In Game Of Thrones, By William Shakespeare

HAMLET is undoubtedly one of the most famous, most arguable yet most enacted tragedies written by William Shakespeare which is a revenge saga. The protagonist is very contradicting in the sense that he is reckless yet cautious, tender yet ferocious, thoughtful yet driven. Hamlet is an insight into the turmoil of emotions which forms the basis of revenge, the psychological dilemma of a bereaved son. Prince Hamlet seeks revenge from his uncle, King Claudius for the ruthless murder of his father and his subsequent marriage to his mother, Queen Gertrude.

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).

In modern society humans stand up and fight for what they think is right and fair. Human beings have the desire to avenge what they think is wrong. The theme of revenge has a major effect in the play Hamlet and is a constant throughout the play, it underlies almost every scene. In the play Hamlet, William Shakespeare examines the theme of revenge through the erratic thoughts and actions of the characters Hamlet, Laertes, and Fortinbras. The main revenge plots in the play is Hamlet’s aim to avenge his father, Hamlet Sr, Laertes’ aim to avenge the murder of his father, Polonius, and Fortinbras’ aim to avenge the death of his father, Fortinbras. Having lost their fathers, Hamlet, Laertes and Fortinbras take vengeance on the people that killed them. These plots play a major role in the play presenting the theme of revenge to the audience.

The Bible says “Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay.” (Romans 12:19). In modern society, most people do not think about revenge as a bad thing, but rather as a natural part of life. Sometimes it is viewed down upon and questioned by those with high moral standards, or when a person wants revenge so severe that it would require blood to be shed. This was the case for Hamlet in the play Hamlet, by Shakespeare. After finding out his father had been killed by his Uncle, who had taken over the throne of Denmark, he is filled with anger and hatred, along with a feeling of self loathing. Throughout the course of the play, Hamlet pretends to be a madman so he can have his way, questions death and what comes after dying, and wonders if he should actually kill another human being. After the conflict is resolved, Shakespeare

v. 29-31). Hamlet’s words of hatred directed towards the new king alone describe the emotion he has begun to experience, in order to restore his family loyalty, and honor his father’s memory, but at the same time, he is unsure of the consequences of such a revenge. In the end, it is evident that the character, Hamlet, experiences many conflicting feelings and sights of death as a result of his choice to seek revenge on Claudius. As Rene Girard puts it in Hamlet, a book edited by Harold Bloom,

Thus, Shakespeare’s play Hamlet uses both themes of revenge and tragedy, as they are both used in the main parts of the story. It is up to the reader if he or she wants to interpret this story as a tragedy or revenge, but it is most probably a mix between the two. Hamlet was, and is still a titanic part of our culture, and literary history, and will most likely still be analyzed in the future for its rich, and convoluted plot. Hamlet is a unique piece of literature, and will be regarded for a long time as one of the treasures of English

In this case, Hamlet is obsessed with yet unable to act out his revenge since he is a man of thought and reflection, not of action and impulsiveness. "Revenge, said Francis Bacon in his essay on the subject, is a kind of wild justice, and something in Hamlet is too civilized for stealthy murder," says Northrop Frye (Frye). While he knows it is his duty to avenge his father's murder, Hamlet's desire to fulfill this obligation constantly wavers. In self-pity he cries, "O cursed spite / That ever I was born to set it right!" (1.5. 188-189), and yet in rage he utters, "Now could I drink hot blood / and do such bitter business as the day / Would quake to loot on," (3.2. 397-399). Hamlet hesitates numerous times to fulfill his duty to avenge his father, and in the end he must actually convince himself to kill Claudius. "... I do not know / Why yet I live to say 'This thing's to do', / Sith I have cause, and will, and strength, and means / To do't... / ... / O, from this time forth, / My thoughts be bloody, or be nothing worth!" (4.4. 43-46, 65-66). This unusual flaw leads to Hamlet's inevitable demise, and is the most convincing evidence that Hamlet is, indeed, a tragedy. The protagonist, however, is not the only character in the play that experiences a want for revenge. Shakespeare uses all three of the sons seeking vengeance to reveal the complexity of the human yearning for

Throughout the story of Hamlet, there is a lot of betrayal and revenge seeking people. These ideas of revenge make people, such as Hamlet, seem insane. He is seeking revenge against his uncle, King Claudius, for killing his father and then marrying his mother. Hamlet then goes crazy and insane when the ghost of his dead father asks him to seek revenge. His friends and family think he is full of pure madness, but he is actually faking it so it is easier for him to get revenge.

“Does it not, think thee, stand me now upon— He that hath killed my king and whored my mother, Popp'd in between th' election and my hopes, Thrown out his angle for my proper life, And with such cozenage—isn't not perfect conscience to quit him with this arm? And is 't not to be damned to let this canker of our nature come in further evil”( 5.2.63-70)? Hamlet not only sought revenge because of the death of his father, but also for how he was

The play, Hamlet by William Shakespeare, surrounds the central idea of revenge and betrayal. Revenge drives the characters and determines their actions throughout the play, which results in several instances of betrayal. With revenge, the friendship and loyalty of characters are tested and conflicts are established between characters. Hamlet’s father, the king of Denmark, was helplessly poisoned by his own brother, Claudius. Hamlet, the protagonist, becomes aware of his father’s death and finds himself seeking revenge and starting a cycle of hatred. Hamlet embarks on his journey for revenge by displaying an act of craziness. Throughout the play, there were several moments where Hamlet’s actions caused confusion and made it difficult for

It can be easily said that no one can handle the feeling of revenge perfectly, as is the case for Hamlet specifically. Early in the play Hamlet it is said that Hamlet had lost his father to a poisonous snake whilst he was in the gardens, but it is later revealed in act one by his father's ghost of his true death. “ ‘Now, Hamlet, hear. 'Tis given out that, sleeping in my orchard, A serpent stung me. So the whole ear of Denmark Is by a forgèd 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.V.34-40). Hamlet’s father tells Hamlet the truth of his death by his brother’s hand, giving Hamlet a soul to avenge. Francis Bacon’s

Revenge is a dish best served cold, being one of the biggest themes in the play, at its Hamlet’s biggest goal in the play. From the very start Hamlet was out seeking revenge over his father’s death. He wanted to kill Claudius because Claudius killed his father, in an effort to become king himself. Hamlet then becomes obsessed with seeking vengeance, going so far as to fake madness in order to prove that Claudius is truly guilty for his father’s murder…

William Shakespeare's Hamlet as a Revenge Tragedy Revenge Tragedy was a genre which lasted from 1590 until 1615. The genre appealed to the Elizabethan audience’s desire for blood and violence without emotional depth. = == ==

The death of Hamlet’s father and his mother remarrying two months after his father’s death are two scenarios that instill revenge into Hamlet’s brain. Throughout the play, the readers see how Hamlet’s personality and mental state evolves while revenge is still on his mind. Hamlet rationally thinks about revenge and the consequences to come by contemplating killing Claudius for a great amount of the play. Ever since Hamlet discovered that Claudius killed his father by pouring poison down his ear, Hamlet became obsessed with the idea of death and revenge. King Hamlet encourages Prince Hamlet to take action immediately against Claudius and ultimately leaves it up to Hamlet to figure out the revenge plan (1.5.7-41). Hamlet solely focuses on getting revenge even if it is the last thing he does. Because King Hamlet left his fate up to his son, Hamlet had to make complicated decisions on his own, which altered his mental state as the play progressed. Shakespeare tactically builds up the beginning of Hamlet, only to have Hamlet question the authenticity later in the play, which is where his paranoia begins. In the article “Revenge and Vengeance in Shakespeare’s Hamlet: A Study of Hamlet’s Pursuit and Procrastination Regarding Revenge,” the author, Haque, states that “Hamlet was actually considered to be an indecisive person who always used to think much but act too little,” meaning that the conversation with the ghost telling him to get revenge would not be the only time Hamlet was indecisive, which delayed his revenge process. The readers see that Hamlet is eager planning the revenge on Claudius, but when the time comes, Hamlet is unable to

To begin with, the exploration of human strengths and frailties in Shakespeare’s ‘Hamlet’ provides a strong understanding of the complex nature of revenge, because Hamlet is determined to kill Claudius, which is the main reason for his father’s death. This is the most pivotal moment at the end of Act 1 because it leads Hamlet into insanity because it’s his primary mode of interacting with other people later in the play. The idea is used by Shakespeare to further develop Hamlet’s character because the concept of sin must be returned with punishment because Claudius has committed a sin on his father. The quote “Revenge his foul and most unnatural murder,” is used as a motif on the centre of honesty, as it explores the fact that Hamlet would do something for his father if they had a close relationship. He is rather keen to undertake this task so that he can get revenge on Claudius. “With wings as swift as meditation or the thoughts of love may sweep to my revenge,” uses a simile to express Hamlet’s determination