“To take revenge halfheartedly is to court disaster. Either condemn or crown your hatred.” –Pierre Cornielle. This reflects the idea that revenge is only effective when it is taken seriously and carried out in a very carefully thought out manner. If it is not done in this way, it can quickly transform into a disaster. In the play Hamlet by William Shakespeare, revenge is a very prominent theme. The main plot of the play is Hamlet attempting to obtain revenge against Claudius, who killed his father and stole his crown. Hamlet was visited by the ghost of his father and told to murder Claudius. His father also told him that he was murdered before he had the chance to confess his sins, and he wanted Claudius to have those same circumstances. Some
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Hamlet feared the uncertainty that came with dying, and felt an obligation to refrain from killing himself because it is a sin. If it weren’t for these two factors, Hamlet would have killed himself. He had been discontent with his life ever since his father was murdered. In his famous “To be or not to be” monologue, Hamlet discusses his fear of dying when he says “But that the dread of something after death / The undiscovered country from whose bourn / No traveler returns” (3.1.86-88). The fact that hamlet calls life after death an “undiscovered country” implies that he doesn’t necessarily dread dying, he simply fears the ambiguity of what will happen afterwards. This word choice implies a somewhat adventurous connotation. Hamlet phrases it as if death is a mysterious place that he hasn’t visited yet, or a faraway land that he wants to discover. By saying that “no traveler returns”, one can imply that Hamlet was very scared of what would happen to him after death, however that doesn’t mean that he didn’t want to die. The way that he phrases this monologue, it seems as if the mystery of afterlife is a bourdon on Hamlet because it gets in the way of his desire to die. Another factor that prevents Hamlet from killing himself is his religion. He knows that suicide is a sin and that he would have …show more content…
By honoring Hamlet’s death with a soldier’s funeral while Claudius received no special treatment, Fortinbras is establishing a good reputation for Hamlet. Because all of Denmark would remember Hamlet in such a positive light, he was successful in maintaining his family’s honor while also achieving his revenge against Claudius. Hamlet is also successful in maintaining his own personal honor when Laertes forgives him for the murder of his father. As Laertes is dying, he says to Hamlet, “Exchange forgiveness with me Hamlet. / Mine and my father’s death come not upon thee” (5.2.361-362). Not only is Laertes forgiving Hamlet, but he is declaring that Hamlet is not even responsible for the death of his father. Because of discussion regarding Claudius in the lines before these, it can be inferred that Laertes believes that Claudius is ultimately the one to blame for Laertes’s own death and the death of his father. It is clear that Laertes blames Claudius because he says to Hamlet, “I can no more. The King, the King’s to blame” (5.2.351). Although Laertes is only referring to the king being to blame for the events taking place in that specific moment, the
Hamlet feared the uncertainty that came with dying, and felt an obligation to refrain from killing himself because it is a sin. If it weren’t for these two factors, Hamlet would have killed himself. He had been discontent with his life ever since his father was murdered. In his famous “To be or not to be” monologue, Hamlet discusses his fear of dying when he says “But that the dread of something after death / The undiscovered country from whose bourn / No traveler returns” (3.1.86-88). The fact that hamlet calls life after death an “undiscovered country” implies that he doesn’t necessarily dread dying, he simply fears the ambiguity of what will happen afterwards. This word choice implies a somewhat adventurous connotation. Hamlet phrases it as if death is a mysterious place that he hasn’t visited yet, or a faraway land that he wants to discover. By saying that “no traveler returns”, one can imply that Hamlet was very scared of what would happen to him after death, however that doesn’t mean that he didn’t want to die. The way that he phrases this monologue, it seems as if the mystery of afterlife is a bourdon on Hamlet because it gets in the way of his desire to die. Another factor that prevents Hamlet from killing himself is his religion. He knows that suicide is a sin and that he would have …show more content…
By honoring Hamlet’s death with a soldier’s funeral while Claudius received no special treatment, Fortinbras is establishing a good reputation for Hamlet. Because all of Denmark would remember Hamlet in such a positive light, he was successful in maintaining his family’s honor while also achieving his revenge against Claudius. Hamlet is also successful in maintaining his own personal honor when Laertes forgives him for the murder of his father. As Laertes is dying, he says to Hamlet, “Exchange forgiveness with me Hamlet. / Mine and my father’s death come not upon thee” (5.2.361-362). Not only is Laertes forgiving Hamlet, but he is declaring that Hamlet is not even responsible for the death of his father. Because of discussion regarding Claudius in the lines before these, it can be inferred that Laertes believes that Claudius is ultimately the one to blame for Laertes’s own death and the death of his father. It is clear that Laertes blames Claudius because he says to Hamlet, “I can no more. The King, the King’s to blame” (5.2.351). Although Laertes is only referring to the king being to blame for the events taking place in that specific moment, the