...A tragedy struck Denmark yesterday afternoon. In a sudden act of anger, misunderstanding and confusion, King Claudius, Queen Gertrude, Prince Hamlet and son of the late advisor, Laertes, were slain yesterday during a sparring match in the castle. According to our sources, King Claudius has been revealed as the murderer of the late king Hamlet. King Claudius had been plotting with the kin of the recently passed royal adviser Polonius to murder Hamlet. As far as we know now, both parties involved in the planned murder of Hamlet had different motives. Laertes, the advisor’s son wished to exact revenge on Hamlet for the death of his father, who we now know was murdered by Hamlet for unknown reasons. Laertes also has blamed Hamlet for the death...
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...Amongst the most tragic story lines of Shakespeare’s plays, Hamlet is definitely one of them. In William Shakespeare’s play Hamlet, Fortinbras, Hamlet and Laertes each demonstrate the ways revenge leads to tragedy when they are unable to cope with the loss of a loved one. Young Fortinbras has intentions of honoring his father’s loss by gaining the territory that was rightfully theirs. The lengths he is willing to go compare to Hamlet’s determination to seek revenge upon his uncle, and father’s murderer, Claudius. Hamlet’s hopes of wanting to destroy Claudius the way he had done to King Hamlet are delayed several times throughout the play, making it nearly impossible to follow through with his plan. One of Hamlet’s setbacks is being shipped off to England for the murder of Polonius, which is Laertes’ father. After discovering that Hamlet was responsible for the death of Polonius, Laertes does all he can to get revenge on Hamlet. The three men’s need for revenge relates to the corruption of the characters within the play. The corruption of the characters within the play results in the tragic death of each major character. The first of the murdered fathers was King Fortinbras who was the King of Norway. King Fortinbras challenged King Hamlet to a single combat over the state of Denmark by which King Hamlet won. This incident is responsible for Young Fortinbras’ hopes of seeking revenge upon his father’s death and winning back the land that he believes was rightfully his family...
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...Hamlet Many of Shakespeare’s plays tend to have focus on many common themes between each other. Like in Titus Andronicus, where revenge is the main purpose of the entire play, Hamlet also primarily focuses on revenge. Death is the only reason in Shakespeare’s play that the characters get vengeance. Hamlet, known to be one of Shakespeare’s greatest tragedies, brings together the idea of both death and revenge through the main character, Hamlet. From the moment the play begins, the first encounter of death that the audience sees is the death of the Hamlet’s father. In this play, we see how the death of King Hamlet affects his son who is also named Hamlet, through his own ghost. The ghost is the character that reveals the information to Hamlet causing the other events to take place. Through the ghost, we can see how both death and revenge merge together. When Hamlet has an encounter with his dead father’s ghost, the ghost reveals to Hamlet how he was murdered demonstrating how death turns into vengeance. Not only is Hamlet the only one with intentions to seek vengeance for his fathers death, but the ghost its self tells Hamlet to “revenge his foul and most unnatural murder” (1.5.25). The ghost was already the representation for death, now he shows the representation and the true motivation for Hamlet’s vengeance. The ghost is the primary reason for Hamlet’s desire to kill King Claudius, the new King of Denmark. Continuously throughout the play, death and revenge seem...
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...Angela Romero 1226344 English IX Tim Keppel An analysis of the characters of Hamlet, Laertes and Fortinbras from William Shakespeare’s Hamlet In William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, revenge is the central topic, which breathes life into the play. As his main objective in life, Hamlet craves to avenge his father’s death, the king of Denmark, betrayed and killed by his own brother. Throughout the play, Hamlet comes across two other main characters in Shakespeare’s tragedy, Laertes and Fortinbras, whose fathers are also murdered. Even though there are differences between these 3 characters, this series of unfair deaths puts them in the same situation and makes them have aspects in common. Thus, the purpose of this essay is to compare and contrast Hamlet, Laertes and Fortinbras in terms of behavior, the honor for their beloved fathers, the desire to revenge their fathers’ death and their modus operandi of vengeance; as well as to explain the perception they have of each other. On one hand, Hamlet, the prince of Denmark, is characterized by his eloquent behavior, his philosophical thinking, which constantly leads him to questions that cannot be answered easily, such as his famous one “to be, or not to be”. He is smart and lets others think he’s just mad. One of his other characteristics are his constant thoughts about existence and the duties of a man. “What is a man, if his chief good and market of his time be but to sleep and feed? A beast, no more.” “For there are actions...
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...Revenge in Hamlet “Hamlet is the finest of all plays in the English revenge tradition” (Shakespeare, IV). The recurring theme in William Shakespeare’s play, Hamlet, is revenge, every character in this play wants revenge on someone else. Revenge in this play means murder. From the beginning right through until the end of the book, there are three instances where revenge is seen; the ghost of Hamlet senior wants revenge on Claudius, Hamlet wants revenge on Claudius and Laertes wants revenge on Hamlet. Hamlet is the most serious play on revenge because of all the questions asked (Shakespeare, IV). At the very beginning of Hamlet, Hamlet seniors ghost appears to his son, Hamlet and demands revenge on his brother, Claudius. Claudius murders his brother because he wants to become king, his ambition and he wants to have the Queen Gertrude as his wife. When the ghost of Hamlet senior appears to Hamlet he says, “So art thou to revenge when thou shalt hear” (1.5. Line 7). Once Hamlet discovers that Claudius is the murderer of his father, Hamlet shall find revenge on his uncle. Also during the ghost’s appearance he tells his son to revenge Claudius’ soul in an unnatural murder, “Revenge his soul and most unnatural murder” (1.5. Line 25). Hamlet senior wants his son, Hamlet to find revenge on Claudius for his death and stealing his Queen. Now that Hamlet knows about his fathers murder and who actually caused it, he wants revenge. Hamlet wants revenge on his uncle, King Claudius...
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...and Origin of Hamlet Although I enjoyed reading many of the texts throughout the semester during this course, my favorite reading was Hamlet. Only the first part of the book was assigned to read, but I was very interested to hear about the end of the book. I decided that this would be a good opportunity to read the rest of the book and use it for my final paper in the class. Not only did I get to finish the book, I also learned much about the author William Shakespeare and the country of England. I hope to make it clear of my understanding of the text, author, and country in this final paper. Hamlet has not only taught me the importance of family and struggle with fate, but has also given me a better understanding of whom and where the novel originated. The text begins in Denmark where a ghost walks the embankments of Elsinore Castle. The ghost is first discovered by some guards, then by Horatio. Horatio is a close friend and former classmate of Hamlet. The ghost resembles the recently deceased King Hamlet, Hamlet’s father. King Hamlet’s brother, Claudius has inherited the throne and married the king’s widow, Queen Gertrude. Gertrude is Hamlet’s mother. When Horatio and the guards bring Prince Hamlet to see the ghost, it speaks to him. The ghost threateningly states that it is his father’s spirit, and that he was murdered by Claudius. He orders Hamlet to seek revenge on the man who seized his throne and married his wife, and then disappears. Prince Hamlet decides to devote...
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...The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark is a tragedy by William Shakespeare. Set in the Kingdom of Denmark, the play dramatizes the revenge Prince Hamlet exacts on his uncle Claudius for murdering King Hamlet, Claudius's brother and Prince Hamlet's father, and then succeeding to the throne and taking as his wife Gertrude, the old king's widow and Prince Hamlet's mother. The play vividly portrays both true and feigned madness – from overwhelming grief to seething rage – and explores themes of treachery, revenge, incest, and moral corruption. Hamlet is Shakespeare's longest play and among the most powerful and influential tragedies in the English language, with a story capable of "seemingly endless retelling and adaptation by others." The play was one of Shakespeare's most popular works during his lifetime It has inspired writers from Goethe and Dickens to Joyce and Murdoch, and has been described as "the world's most filmed story after Cinderella". Shakespeare based Hamlet on the legend of Amleth, preserved by 13th-century chronicler Saxo Grammaticus in his Gesta Danorum as subsequently retold by 16th-century scholar François de Belleforest. He may also have drawn on or perhaps written an earlier Elizabethan play known today as the Ur-Hamlet. He almost certainly created the title role for Richard Burbage, the leading tragedian of Shakespeare's time. In the 400 years since, the role has been performed by highly acclaimed actors and actresses from each successive age. Three...
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... “Summary on the Plot of Hamlet.” William Shakespeare's Hamlet follows the young prince Hamlet home to Denmark to attend his father's funeral. Hamlet is shocked to find his mother already remarried to his Uncle Claudius, the dead king's brother. And Hamlet is even more surprised when his father's ghost appears and declares that he was murdered. Exact dates are unknown, but scholars agree that Shakespeare published Hamlet between 1601 and 1603. Many believe that Hamlet is the best of Shakespeare's work, and the perfect play. Prince Hamlet is depressed. Having been summoned home to Denmark from school in Germany to attend his father's funeral, he is shocked to find his mother Gertrude already remarried. The Queen has wed Hamlet's Uncle Claudius, the dead king's brother. To Hamlet, the marriage is "foul incest." Worse still, Claudius has had himself crowned King despite the fact that Hamlet was his father's heir to the throne. Hamlet suspects foul play. When his father's ghost visits the castle, Hamlet's suspicions are confirmed. The Ghost complains that he is unable to rest in peace because he was murdered. Claudius, says the Ghost, poured poison in King Hamlet's ear while the old king napped. Unable to confess and find salvation, King Hamlet is now consigned, for a time, to spend his days in Purgatory and walk the earth by night. He entreats Hamlet to avenge his death, but to spare Gertrude, to let Heaven decide her fate. Hamlet vows to affect madness — puts "an...
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...In order to understand Hamlet, we must understand his frustration. This frustration is most clear in his famous monologue, famously beginning with the line "Oh what a rogue and peasant slave am I." This self-condemnation is contrasted by his admiration for the actor of the previous scene, who "in a fiction" is able to "force his soul to his own conceit." The word "soul" is an example of metonymy, as the soul represents the actor's "visage," "tears," "distraction," and "voice." Thus Hamlet equates "soul" with one's actions, so by his own comparison his soul is weak, as he does not take action against the king. The second sentence is furthermore a rhetorical question, beginning with, "Is it notŠ" So clearly Hamlet's lack of emotion is "monstrous" in his own mind at the very start of the monologue. The equation of "Hecuba" to "nothing" is then contrasted by Hamlet's "cue" being the murder of his father. Hamlet then states that the actor would "drown the stage with tears" if he were in Hamlet's position. The visual hyperbole which is compounded by the repetit... ... middle of paper ... ...tions: Hamlet. Ed. Harold Bloom. New York: Chelsea House, 1986. Rpt. from Tragic Alphabet: Shakespeare's Drama of Language. N. p.: Yale University Press, 1974. Rosenberg, Marvin. "Laertes: An Impulsive but Earnest Young Aristocrat." Readings on Hamlet. Ed. Don Nardo. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1999. Rpt. from The Masks of Hamlet. Newark, NJ: University of Delaware Press, 1992...
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...The Revenge in Hamlet The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, often just called Hamlet, is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare between 1599 and 1602. Hamlet is Shakespeare’s longest play and delivers one of the most famous lines in history, “to be or not to be.” The story is set in the Kingdom of Denmark and tells of the revenge Prince Hamlet has on his uncle Claudius. Claudius murdered his own brother, Hamlet's father and took over the throne. Claudius also marries Hamlet’s mother, Gertrude. Revenge, being the driving force in the play is also one reason why it is a tragedy. This tragedy has many themes, including: murder, corruption, deceit and insanity. But revenge is the driving force of the play. The need to exact vengeance on one's enemy is the driving force behind many pivotal events in human history. The object of every war is to get revenge on the other side and become the successful leader. Revenge is also a common motive for robbery and murder. There is no denying that revenge is one of the main reasons for terrible deeds in this world, but at the same time it is a basic human desire that everyone has. In the beginning of the play, the ghost of Hamlet’s dead father appears to Horatio, Marcellus and Barnardo. The three beg the ghost to speak, but he refuses. Horatio tells Hamlet about the encounter once the ghost has gone. The ghost finally appears again and leaves with Hamlet to speak in private. Once alone, the ghost tells Hamlet that he is his...
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...ANALYSIS OF PATERNITY AND FILIAL DUTY IN SHAKESPEARE’S HAMLET”. Drewry emphasizes King Hamlet and Polonius' role in being a father figure to their respective sons and how King Hamlet and Polonius led Hamlet and Laertes to their own demise. Drewry begins his criticism between the connection of King Hamlet and Hamlet. Drewry criticizes King Hamlet as a character for having a poor paternal influence towards Hamlet. Drewry supports this by examining the quotes made by Horatio such as that King Hamlet was “a goodly king” (I, ii, 186), separating King Hamlet between his royal title and role as a father. Drewry suggests that since King Hamlet was absent most of Hamlet’s life when the Ghost...
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...AND JULIETTE, but few compare to the new staging of HAMLET by Kenneth Branagh. No other actor, producer, writer, and director has done the preeminent Bard more justice and honor than Kenneth Branagh, and he pushes this theater production to epic proportions. With lavish sets and lush costume design changing the setting from medieval to the 19th Century, this tale of a son's revenge for the untimely death of his father at the hands of his father’s brother delves into humanity's fundamental questions of: What does it take to be an honorable man? An honorable king? An honorable father? An honorable son? This story involves all levels of drama, including violence, intrigue, sex, and madness. The movie begins in the middle of a story. The King of Denmark has died and his brother is taking the throne and the Queen as his bride for the sake of the country. Two guards see an apparition coming in the night. The apparition is seemingly like that of the deceased King, so the guards callto Horatio and the son of the King, Hamlet, to confirm their visions. When Hamlet arrives, the apparition takes him away and demands that he put his father’s soul to rest for his "most horrible and foul murder." Alone, he is faced with the duty of exacting revenge for his father's death on his uncle, and the commission likely throws him into insanity. The character of Hamlet is wrought with complexity and divisions. He is the height of Shakespeare's character sketches and is every thespian’s desired...
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...Ranking the Play Hamlet The Shakespearean tragedy Hamlet is among the best ever written, and perhaps the very best. Why do the literary critics say this? In this essay let’s examine the play to see what makes it a prizewinner. Phyllis Abrahms and Alan Brody in “Hamlet and the Elizabethan Revenge Tragedy Formula” give some detail about the reasons for the undying popularity of this play: No play demonstrates the power and glory of Shakespeare’s tragic vision more than Hamlet, which for over 350 years has excited us with its action, its insight, its brilliant language. Hamlet is an unparalleled adventure story, complete with suspense, intrigue, murder – even a battle at sea with pirates. It is a play of intense emotional and physical violence. Yet underlying all of this are some of the most profound explorations of the mysteries of human existence. (43) This play is ranked by many as the very greatest ever written. Cumberland Clark in “The Supernatural in Hamlet” gives the consensus regarding Hamlet that exists among literary critics of today: At least six or seven years pass after the writing of Midsummer Night’s Dream before we find Shakespeare engaged on Hamlet, the second of the great plays with an important Supernatural element, and, in the opinion of many, the greatest tragedy ever penned. (99) There is no more exalted ranking than the above. Richard A. Lanham in the essay “Superposed Plays” maintains that no...
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...In William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, a common theme is revenge. The plots all have one common driving factor. Three revenge plots in Hamlet are Hamlet’s revenge on King Claudius, Fortinbras’s revenge on Denmark, and Laertes’s revenge on Hamlet; they add inadequacy to the play. To begin, Hamlet wants to get revenge on King Claudius for killing his father. Hamlet discovers, after speaking to the ghost of his late father, that King Claudius killed King Hamlet for power and love. The Ghost tells Hamlet to avenge his death and kill King Claudius, which Hamlet has a hard time accepting. Hamlet has to plot a revenge plan against King Claudius in order to avenge his father’s death. Next, Fortinbras, Prince of Norway, wants to bring revenge on Denmark to...
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...Mirabelli, 1 Hamlet Tragedy reveals the true identity of a person as it draws out one’s deepest inner emotions; this is evident in William Shakespeare’s play, Hamlet. In the play, the newly appointed King and brother of the late King Hamlet, is responsible for the murder of his own brother and Denmark’s beloved ruler. The new King, Claudius, displays several different sides of himself to his audience when all begins to go awry. He now knows that the former King’s son, Hamlet, knows of his murder, his friend Polonius was killed by a seemingly insane Hamlet, and Polonius’ children are losing their sense of sanity and are blaming Claudius for their father’s murder. Within his speech, Claudius shows his true inner guilt over murdering his brother now that everything seems to be falling apart. Also, his sensitive side is portrayed for Polonius’ children and the loss of their beloved father. Finally, the King is shown to be deceiving and manipulative with others, showing himself as innocent and hurt when he is far from innocent. In Shakespeare’s original version of Hamlet, Claudius’ speech in Act IV, scene v, effectively captures the attention of not only the Elizabethan audience of the play, but also his wife Gertrude. Just like any villain, Claudius has a very guilty conscience that slowly comes out during the play. Firstly, he mentions that everything is going horribly, and the audience can identify a sense of guilt when Claudius brings up this point. Within the speech...
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