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Theme Of Revenge In Hamlet

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Jesus Hurtado
Ms. Bell
English 4 Period 1
8 December, 2017
Revenge Theme on Hamlet
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.
Hamlet’s need for revenge begins in act 1 when the ghost tells him what happened. In the play, the ghost of King Hamlet appears and tells his son, Hamlet, that he is his father’s spirit, “I am thy father’s spirit…” (act I, scene v). The ghost is talking to Hamlet and tells him how he was really killed. He says, “Now, Hamlet, hear. '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 abus'd; but know, thou noble youth, The serpent that did sting thy father's life Now wears his crown” (act I, scene v). King Hamlet’s spirit explains to his son that the serpent that stung him was his brother, Claudius, by pouring poison in his ear while he was asleep. He then tells Hamlet that he must seek revenge on his uncle Claudius. The ghost states, “Revenge his foul and most unnatural murder” (act I, scene v). The most famous quote of this play, "To be or not to be, that is the question" is centered in Hamlet’s vengeance situation. Hamlet must decide whether he should avenge the death of his father or not. To successfully avenge the death of his father he will need to kill his uncle Claudius which will result in the liberation of his father from purgatory where he states that is weakening, "…Doom'd for a certain term to walk the

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