The Most Moral Choice He Had William Shakespeare’s tragedies are very popular; however, his most famous play in the genre is Hamlet. Shakespeare wrote Hamlet to illustrate sometimes the only choice a person has may not always be considered right. He proved to his audience that sometimes one must choose morality over immorality from the choices. Certainly, the unavoidable wrong choice will still leave consequences but in the end, the choice will provide more help. In the play, Hamlet meets the ghost of his father who informs him of his murder. Then the ghost asks Hamlet to take revenge which leads him into a confusing state of whether or not he should listen or handle the situation in a different way (1.4-5.19-28). As a result, the knowledge
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After Prince Hamlet learned who killed his father, the command to take revenge did not turn into the sudden act as anticipated. Many critics like Rhodri Lewis claim “Hamlet is distracted from the need to avenge the murder of his father by his ‘disgust… for human sinfulness, fleshliness, and corporeality [...]’” (637). In result, Hamlet considers committing suicide to end his problems, but he “rejects suicide because it is divinely forbidden” from his religion (Baker 80). During one of Hamlet’s soliloquies in act one he cries out to himself, “Thaw and resolve itself into a dew, Or the Everlasting had not fix’d His canon ‘gainst self-slaughter! O God! God!” (1.2.10). Hamlet wishes committing suicide was not a sin because he would do that to end his suffering. Hamlet feels confused and defeated because he thinks he could not do anything to follow the word of his father’s ghost. Additionally in the book called “Religion in the Age of Shakespeare” written by Christopher Baker, Baker cites the sixth commandment from Exodus 20:1-17: “Thou shalt not …show more content…
In reaction to the play King Claudius demands, “Give me some light. Away!” which proves to Hamlet the ghost told the truth (3.2.65). The king’s action proves Hamlet’s uncertainty of what the ghost said, so Hamlet waits before he did anything about the crime to make sure he does the best for his father and punish the king. However, his waiting lead him to consider suicide in which his catholic religion opted out, so he had to choose revenge. Also he feared what would happen if he killed the king: “For in that sleep of death what dreams may come,” (3.1.53). In other words Hamlet fears the consequences he may have to face, but he knew “the death of a father cannot be forgotten or forgiven until it has been avenged” (Coyle 12). Considering the morality of each choice, Hamlet chooses revenge while holding the faith that if he should then by faith vengeance will happen. Hamlet knows he faces committing murder which disobeyed the sixth commandment “Thou shalt not kill” (Baker 80). He did not take revenge until he “persuaded himself that revenge is a mode of restoration” (Kastan 113). Many people believe Hamlet finally revenged his father’s death because “memory, as Nigel Alexander has demonstrated, [...] provides the essential motive for revenge” (Coyle 12). Although
After Prince Hamlet learned who killed his father, the command to take revenge did not turn into the sudden act as anticipated. Many critics like Rhodri Lewis claim “Hamlet is distracted from the need to avenge the murder of his father by his ‘disgust… for human sinfulness, fleshliness, and corporeality [...]’” (637). In result, Hamlet considers committing suicide to end his problems, but he “rejects suicide because it is divinely forbidden” from his religion (Baker 80). During one of Hamlet’s soliloquies in act one he cries out to himself, “Thaw and resolve itself into a dew, Or the Everlasting had not fix’d His canon ‘gainst self-slaughter! O God! God!” (1.2.10). Hamlet wishes committing suicide was not a sin because he would do that to end his suffering. Hamlet feels confused and defeated because he thinks he could not do anything to follow the word of his father’s ghost. Additionally in the book called “Religion in the Age of Shakespeare” written by Christopher Baker, Baker cites the sixth commandment from Exodus 20:1-17: “Thou shalt not …show more content…
In reaction to the play King Claudius demands, “Give me some light. Away!” which proves to Hamlet the ghost told the truth (3.2.65). The king’s action proves Hamlet’s uncertainty of what the ghost said, so Hamlet waits before he did anything about the crime to make sure he does the best for his father and punish the king. However, his waiting lead him to consider suicide in which his catholic religion opted out, so he had to choose revenge. Also he feared what would happen if he killed the king: “For in that sleep of death what dreams may come,” (3.1.53). In other words Hamlet fears the consequences he may have to face, but he knew “the death of a father cannot be forgotten or forgiven until it has been avenged” (Coyle 12). Considering the morality of each choice, Hamlet chooses revenge while holding the faith that if he should then by faith vengeance will happen. Hamlet knows he faces committing murder which disobeyed the sixth commandment “Thou shalt not kill” (Baker 80). He did not take revenge until he “persuaded himself that revenge is a mode of restoration” (Kastan 113). Many people believe Hamlet finally revenged his father’s death because “memory, as Nigel Alexander has demonstrated, [...] provides the essential motive for revenge” (Coyle 12). Although