Hamlet by Shakespeare was written in the early 1600’s in England, it is an Elizabethan tragedy, and characteristics of the tragedy’s plot may include on-stage murder, ghosts, torture, grave yards, ambition, and severed limbs (Cash, Revenge strategy). During this time period the law did not apply to the wealthy and the royalty. So, if someone of royal status broke the law, as in murder, they would not get any punishment from the court. This is why the idea of requite- make appropriate return for a favor, service, or wrongdoing (dictionary.com) - applies if someone of royal status were murdered. Since the court would not deal with the murderer, the family of the victim would have the right and obligation of getting closure by avenging victim
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First, his father is killed by Hamlet, then his sister drowns in a brook. Laertes blames Hamlet for the death of Ophelia because he knew that he would leave her and that Ophelia wasn’t his true love as said in “His greatness weigh’d, his will is not his own” (I, iii, 17), “Or lose your heart, your chaste treasure open” (I, iii, 31). With requite as a societal culture plus all of this sadness/ pain he promises to avenge his loved ones by killing the one who did it in order to gain closure with them. As previously stated, during the duel Laertes wounds Hamlet and then Hamlet wounds Laertes with the poison sword. Once Laertes knows that he has avenged his father and sister he asks for forgiveness from Hamlet by saying “Exchange forgiveness with me, noble Hamlet” (V, ii, 333). Hamlet responds with “Heaven make thee free of it!” (V, ii, 336). This is important because now Laertes has closure with his family in the physical life and closure with God in the afterlife, celestial imagery, because he has been forgiven by Hamlet for doing a major sin, murder. After asking for forgiveness he tells Hamlet that “Mine and my father’s death come not upon thee, nor thine on me!” (V, ii, 334-335). Here the celestial imagery is juxtaposed to show the importance of the exchange of forgiveness between the two families resolving the conflict that was between
First, his father is killed by Hamlet, then his sister drowns in a brook. Laertes blames Hamlet for the death of Ophelia because he knew that he would leave her and that Ophelia wasn’t his true love as said in “His greatness weigh’d, his will is not his own” (I, iii, 17), “Or lose your heart, your chaste treasure open” (I, iii, 31). With requite as a societal culture plus all of this sadness/ pain he promises to avenge his loved ones by killing the one who did it in order to gain closure with them. As previously stated, during the duel Laertes wounds Hamlet and then Hamlet wounds Laertes with the poison sword. Once Laertes knows that he has avenged his father and sister he asks for forgiveness from Hamlet by saying “Exchange forgiveness with me, noble Hamlet” (V, ii, 333). Hamlet responds with “Heaven make thee free of it!” (V, ii, 336). This is important because now Laertes has closure with his family in the physical life and closure with God in the afterlife, celestial imagery, because he has been forgiven by Hamlet for doing a major sin, murder. After asking for forgiveness he tells Hamlet that “Mine and my father’s death come not upon thee, nor thine on me!” (V, ii, 334-335). Here the celestial imagery is juxtaposed to show the importance of the exchange of forgiveness between the two families resolving the conflict that was between