Is Hamlet Revengeful

Imagine being in a situation where somebody commits an action that another person did not appreciate. That person had the chance to speak up and say something and commit an action that would prove that the person was not content with their action. If the person did not speak up and say anything that would prove they are upset, the person that committed the wrongful action would not know and possibly keep committing the same action. The person that speaks up and commits another action takes on a role of revenge. In the play Hamlet, the character Hamlet acts in a revengeful way in order to show his feelings toward people, to show he is a hero, and the christian beliefs of revenge. One example of Hamlet being revengeful was with the way he was …show more content…
From the beginning, Hamlet never liked Claudius; he tolerated him. When Claudius and Gertrude became married, Hamlet’s feelings towards Claudius grew in anger and has never liked him nor never will. When the ghost appeared and talked to Hamlet, he said: “Ay, that incenstuous, that adulterate beast / … And in the porches of my ears did pour / The leperous distilment” (I.v. pg.24). Hearing from the ghost that Claudius killed King Hamlet, Hamlet became even more furious and thought it was imperative to gain revenge and show him how he truly feels. With the details of his father’s death, he knew it was his business to try and kill Claudius for his revenge. If Hamlet’s father died from Claudius, Claudius too will die from Hamlet so they both will be equal. With Hamlet’s anger towards Claudius, the only option for Hamlet was to kill him. When Claudius was praying in the chapel, Hamlet’s plan was to kill him then, but Hamlet then had a feeling that if he were to die in the chapel praying, Claudius would go to heaven. Hamlet says, “Now might I do it pat, now he is praying” (III.ii. pg. 70). If Claudius went to heaven, it would not be a task of revenge because Hamlet feels that Claudius should be condemned for the rest of his life for his actions that he made. To explain, Hamlet began saying, “And am I then revenged, / To take him in the purging of …show more content…
For example, in Hamlet’s soliloquy, Hamlet says, “To be, or not to be, that is the question” (III.i. pg. 53). Hamlet began thinking about suicide because he had so much going on and did not know if he would be able to handle everything that was going on. In Cantor’s critique, he says, “Hamlet’s concern for the salvation of his soul...means that if he is to take revenge on Claudius, it must be revenge on his immortal soul” (Cantor 40). When Hamlet gained revenge on Claudius by killing him, Hamlet’s beliefs make him think that Hamlet too will be condemned because of his actions. With the revenge taking place, Hamlet realizes that he has to commit actions that could lead to either salvation or condemnation. With his beliefs, Hamlet is not sure what taking revenge will mean to him later on. In the critique, Cantor says, “Hamlet's religious beliefs intervene to complicate his view of revenge in a peculiarly diabolical manner” (40). With his beliefs, it makes Hamlet question whether or not he should take revenge on certain people because he wants to be saved; not condemned. Hamlet questions whether or not he thinks revenge for him is the right thing to do. With his beliefs, it shows that he cares about his soul and other people’s soul as well. When thinking of revenge, he knew that he had wanted Claudius to be condemned so he went ahead with taking revenge and killing him. It goes to show that