The Revolutionary Play “Hamlet” Written By William Shakespeare

Quintessentially speaking, revenge is a thing that many have sought in response to a tragic event unfolding. Typically, as a result, vengeance is contemplated upon by the victim as a means of retribution, a way of making things right and seeking justice on the behest of the victim, if the law will not grant justice through due process due to corrupt forces stemmed deep within it- corrupt seeds of a corrupt plant. Therefore, revenge become an apparent option for those willing to walk that path [of no return]. However, instances of revenge not being attained in the “clear cut” way it is ordinarily acquired have occurred from time to time throughout history. One of the most prominent examples of unconventional revenge attainment can be found within the play Hamlet by William Shakespeare, entailing the revenge path walked by its eponymously named main character, Prince Hamlet. Specifically, his intentful delay in attaining his revenge against his uncle Claudius for his direct role in the death of his father, King Hamlet. This literary conundrum has dumbfounded literary critics for over 400 years and counting- due to the fact that a universally accepted consensus amongst them as well as the general public as to why Hamlet delayed his revenge has not yet been reached.

Hamlet is undeniably an epic among all plays. Shakespeare’s command of storytelling and the meticulously sculpted layers of the play add to the sheer grandeur of the life of Hamlet and the multitude of forces acting against him. The complex dialogue, the magnificent story arches, and the archetypal themes are all essential to the understanding and enjoyment of Hamlet, but there is one particular subject matter that The Bard placed at the center of all the conflict and emotion of the play: grief. The Prince of Denmark’s burdened life after his father’s death is completely coerced by the tearing force of grief throughout his mental and emotional state of being. His purpose, his insanity, and ultimately his downfall stemmed from this encumbrance.

It is clear to see Hamlet is at a breaking point, his father has been murdered and he has seemingly no one to turn to. This angst and sorrow are relatable to people on the idea that his inner emotions and internal conflict are something that everyone relates to. Shakespeare essentially wrote a diary of Hamlet’s life and this personal look is something unique that was not seen before Shakespeare’s time. Hamlet is not only a look into the internal conflicts of a troubled man, but it is also an investigation of the soul, and that is why it is so important and enduring.

In the days following the death of King Hamlet (Hamlet’s father), Hamlet falls into a state of depression and becomes increasingly disconnected with the world around him. Hamlet’s disappointment

After the death of his father, Laertes decides to get revenge and kill hamlet. He wasn't to defend his father pride and seems to avenge his father's death. He decides to spar with hamlets even knowing of Hamlets inevitable death. He goes along with the kings charade until he is stabbed, by his poison

Hamlet is a complex story that uses many literary devices to help develop the characters in Hamlet. One dominant device is irony. The main plot of the story revolves around irony. Hamlet is a witty character and loves to use irony. Hamlet’s use of irony displays how he insults people, discovers useful information, and reveals his true character. The use of irony in this story helps to add depth to each character, which is why Hamlet is one of Shakespeare’s most complex stories.

The death of his father shocked Hamlet tremendously, along with the news of his uncle’s claim of the throne. Hamlet’s popularity among the people in Denmark caused him to be highly respected and loved. The people knew Hamlet’s character and mind were both of sound character and quality. The fact that the people held Hamlet in high regard compliments the idea of Hamlet’s melancholy as a state of mind.

Dramatic literature is told through a story of dialogue about a character that experiences conflict throughout the play. These kinds of plays are often performed on the stage. One of the most famous playwrights of the 16th through the early 17th century was William Shakespeare, and his work continues to live on in the 21st century. The longest play Shakespeare had ever written was Hamlet, which is about a young prince who grieves over the death of his father and seeks revenge as he learns that it was King Claudius responsible for his father’s death. Throughout the play Hamlet expresses his thoughts through different soliloquys. Hamlets soliloquy in Act I, “O that this too, too sullied flesh”, contrasts from his famous soliloquy in Act III, “To Be or Not to Be”, and both reflect issues of the times in which Shakespeare had lived in.

William Shakespeare’s Hamlet is a tragic story of loss and betrayal within the royal family of Denmark. The entire story is a downward spiral that results in the death of Hamlet his family and closest friends along with the possible fall of Denmark itself. The conflict of the play stems from feuds between the main characters that escalate to more and more extremes as the plot continues. The characters most heavily impacted by the conflict of the play are King Claudius, Ophelia, and, of course, Hamlet, himself. These characters face both conflicts from within themselves and from the outside world. Each of these conflicts, however can be traced back to the selfishness of each of the characters and the absolute narcissism, they show and the disregard for how their decisions impact others. Hamlet contains inward and outward struggles for all of the characters involved in the main plot of the story; throughout the play Claudius, Hamlet, and Ophelia all undergo a torment of both extraneous and internal nature primarily relating to their own selfishness and greed that greatly influences the outcome of the play.

In William Shakespeare’s tragedy, Hamlet, it is clearly evident Prince Hamlet is overcome with “madness” due to his father’s murder and other malicious actions taken against him. Throughout the play, there are many examples of how Hamlet displays his insanity due to certain situations he experiences and how he handles them. Hamlet shows his madness through the killing of Polonius, his treatment of Ophelia, his thoughts of suicide, and the treatment of his mother Gertrude.

Hamlet displays his understanding of existentialism in the soliloquy “To be, or not to be, that is the question” (3.1.63) and yet his other words and actions lead us to believe he is still unaware of his own truth. Hamlet says "Then are our beggars bodies, and our monarchs and outstretched heroes the beggars ' shadows" (2.2.263-264) and says that we are all beggars, all lowly men, and we only have any greatness because others think we do. This is in direct conflict with his hubris, showing that he can come up with insights that are emotionally valid and yet he does not entirely accept them as he also has the opposite characteristic. He still cares about the hierarchy and wishes to be above people and is, but only because he and others

Seeking revenge can cause a person to turn insane and blindly seek retaliation. Shakespeare’s Hamlet contemplates revenge throughout the story. Madness and revenge are similar themes in the movie, The Lion King, where the main character, Simba, is faced with the death of his father, leading him to do whatever it takes to seek revenge. This is where madness usually is introduced as a problem within a character, and this problem leads to the character doing things that they don’t usually do, sometimes dangerous things. The fathers of both Hamlet and Simba die, and the only one to blame is someone trusted amongst them. They seek revenge for their father’s unjust deaths. Betrayal, love and loss drive both characters to seek revenge. The death of their fathers leads them to go mad, and this mental state leads to them questioning the motives of close people in their lives.

The tragedy, “Hamlet” written by Shakespeare introduces the reader to a complex character who is the Prince of Denmark. The death of Hamlet’s father and the swift marriage of his mother to his uncle helped to shape Hamlet into the complex character that he became. In Act I, Hamlet is melancholic, which leads to him becoming delayed in his actions and finally towards the end of the story he becomes decisive, finally carrying out his revenge for the death of his father.

Throughout the play, Shakespeare begins to show the basics of Hamlet’s mind, striving to show, as to why he remains inactive and unsure throughout majority of the play. Firstly, “…but know, thou know noble youth/ The serpent that did sting thy father’s life/ Now wears his crown” (Act I. v. 39-40). As the Ghost tells Hamlet his father’s real murder, Shakespeare begins to show the reader, that the protagonist is encountering the Shadow archetype, which represents unknown characteristics of the main character. The reader is shown with the presence of the Shadow archetype, that Hamlet’s concealed suspicion regarding the death of his father, which was considered as an accident, turns into an urge to seek revenge. This archetype reveals to us Hamlet’s inner desires to kill his Uncle Claudius. Furthermore, “…your noble son is mad:/ Mad call I it, for, to define true madness,/ What is’t but to be nothing else but mad?” (Act II. ii. 92-94). Polonius tells the Queen and King that Hamlet is insane for Ophelia, as a result, the Anima archetype is represented by a member of the opposite sex. As for Hamlet, it is a sign of feminine desires he once had for Ophelia, who were once lovers. However, he ignores the affection he has towards Ophelia, in order to focus on his pursuit for vengeance. Moreover, “I have some rights of memory in this kingdom,/ Which now to claim my vantage doth invite me” (Act V.ii.379-380). Fortinbras and Hamlet’s motive is to avenge their

With Hamlet’s return to Denmark he is made aware of his father’s death, Old King Hamlet. His reaction to his father’s death is