How Does Shakespeare Present Grief In Hamlet

In the play Hamlet Shakespeare uses grief to drive the actions of his characters. This is shown in characters such as Hamlet and Ophelia. In the play Hamlet and Ophelia both struggle with the grief of a dead parent. Both of these characters grief drive them to the contemplation of suicide and dictate their actions throughout the play. Another character seen struggling with grief is the character of Laertes. Grief drives Laertes to go mad because his father Polonius was murdered, his sister Ophelia kills herself, and Claudius manipulates his emotions.
In the play Hamlet, Laertes’ grief drives him mad. Laertes is grief stricken after learning of the death of his father and he returns to Denmark from France after hearing this news. Laertes says “To hell, allegiance! Vows, to the blackest devil!/ Conscience and grace, to the profoundest pit!/ I dare damnation. To this point I stand/ That both the worlds I give to negligence./ Let come what comes, only I’ll be revenged/ Most thoroughly for my father” (4. 5. 105-110). …show more content…
Claudius uses Laertes emotions as a vehicle of his own vengeance. Claudius knew how angry Laertes would be after learning of his father’s death. Claudius asked, “Laertes, was your father dear to you?/ Or are you like the painting of a sorrow,/ A face without a heart was your father dear to you”? Claudius essentially asks Laertes if he truly is sad about his father’s death, or if he was just faking it. Claudius knew this would incite rage in Laertes. Claudius also knew how Hamlet would be the object of Laertes’ rage because Hamlet was the one who killed Polonius. Laertes also is enraged at Hamlet because he believes that Hamlet caused Ophelia’s death. Laertes believed that Hamlet was playing with Ophelia’s heart and that this is what caused her suicide. Claudius played to these facts and used them to corrupt Laertes into removing Claudius’ biggest threat for the throne,