Revenge Is To Blame In Shakespeare's Hamlet

“Revenge his most foul and unnatural murder” (I, V, 28) says the Ghost in Shakespeare’s play, Hamlet. With these words, Hamlet is given a mission from the Ghost to seek revenge for both the Ghost and himself for the death of his father. However, Hamlet “is assailed by self-doubt and self-blame” (Keyishian) and struggles with the morality of what has been commanded of him. Hamlet’s conscience knows that the revenge the Ghost has entrusted to him is immoral; despite knowing this, he carries out the revenge. Hamlet, Prince of Denmark is troubled by his father’s death and dislikes Claudius his uncle, who received the throne after the death of the elder Hamlet. Hamlet refers to his new father figure as “a little more than kin, and less than kind” (63) which illustrates the animosity felt by Hamlet. The Ghost plays on this to help convince Hamlet to …show more content…
Ophelia has gone mad due to Hamlet; she then kills herself. Her death is laid on Hamlet by her brother Laertes; in addition, Laertes is upset at the death of his father. Revenge has expanded to Laertes as he says with regard to Hamlet “But my revenge will come” (222). Claudius and Laertes conspire to trap Hamlet in order for Laertes to execute his revenge for his father and sister. The nature of revenge has expanded and it grows ever hungrier as it seeks for mortals to destroy; Laertes is the next person to be consumed. The climax will arrive for Hamlet, but only after escaping from pirates and adding two more deaths to his conscience. Hamlet now seems unconcerned about additional deaths and has become much like the man he despises, Claudius. Hamlet has become a “tragedy of spiritual decline” (Skulsky) that will soon reach its end. Upon entering the court, Hamlet and Laertes prepare to duel each other for revenge. This fateful fight ends with the deaths of the royal family; Hamlet exacts his revenge, but will join Claudius in