In the tragedy, “Hamlet” written by William Shakespeare, a consistent, protruding theme that was abundant throughout the play was the topic of morality. All of the characters express their genuine attributes while at other times, clearly portraying the other side of morality: evil. Alex Lickerman in, “The Truth about Morality” writes “good is that which protects conscious creatures from harm, and evil that which subjects them to it.” (Lickerman para 1). Hamlet, Claudius, Gertrude, Horatio, and Polonius all show both good and evil in various dimensions, which allows them to be ranked depending on their actions and level of morality. Although it is unjust to be perfectly moral, striving to become the best person possible and choosing
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Hamlet allowed his determination of avenging his father’s death to sway his moral judgment, which caused him to make choices based on intuition instead of morality. In his journey of revenge, Hamlet killed Polonius, drove Ophelia mad through insults and the death of her father, and degraded his mother by suggesting she did, “Such an act that blurs the grace and blush of modesty, Calls virtue hypocrite, takes off the rose from the fair forehead of an innocent love and sets a blister there…”(III.iiii42-46). With these actions brought along consequences that Hamlet most likely did not consider while making his impulsive decisions. His main goal was to seek revenge for his father’s death and with that, Hamlet thought little of how he was truly affecting other lives and …show more content…
Claudius gained all of his good fortune, a wife and the crown, by destroying others whom he loved to get there. In order to seek happiness, Claudius murdered his brother, the king of Denmark. Although Claudius’s intent was to gain wealth and the woman he loved, he killed a man who was greatly admired and who had relationships of his own that suffered due to his death. Claudius, similar to Hamlet, acted on impulse and did not consider the feeling of regret and guilt after committing a crime so great. In the Buddhism prospective, Claudius’s crime is considered completely “wrong” because he did not kill one man to save four others, but instead killed one innocent man for the benefit of
Hamlet allowed his determination of avenging his father’s death to sway his moral judgment, which caused him to make choices based on intuition instead of morality. In his journey of revenge, Hamlet killed Polonius, drove Ophelia mad through insults and the death of her father, and degraded his mother by suggesting she did, “Such an act that blurs the grace and blush of modesty, Calls virtue hypocrite, takes off the rose from the fair forehead of an innocent love and sets a blister there…”(III.iiii42-46). With these actions brought along consequences that Hamlet most likely did not consider while making his impulsive decisions. His main goal was to seek revenge for his father’s death and with that, Hamlet thought little of how he was truly affecting other lives and …show more content…
Claudius gained all of his good fortune, a wife and the crown, by destroying others whom he loved to get there. In order to seek happiness, Claudius murdered his brother, the king of Denmark. Although Claudius’s intent was to gain wealth and the woman he loved, he killed a man who was greatly admired and who had relationships of his own that suffered due to his death. Claudius, similar to Hamlet, acted on impulse and did not consider the feeling of regret and guilt after committing a crime so great. In the Buddhism prospective, Claudius’s crime is considered completely “wrong” because he did not kill one man to save four others, but instead killed one innocent man for the benefit of