Sacrifices Sacrifice In Hamlet

Success Merits Sacrifice in William Shakespeare’s Hamlet Even some of the greatest victories exist with great costs. In William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Fortinbras, Laertes, and Hamlet all develop a plan that follows the theme of revenge after the murders of their respective fathers take place. While the foils face parallel struggles and situations with trial and error in exacting their revenge, each eventually achieves his set goal despite with certain setbacks. However, is the extent of their success worth the sacrifice each son faces? To determine the outcome, each son must be analyzed with respect to the intended outcome, emotional response, and course of action taken in order to measure the extent that the sons reach their goals, the amount that they suffered, and whether they achieved sweet revenge. This perfect revenge follows three conditions: to exact a sufficient punishment on a victim who is aware that they are being targeted by the avenger and avoid facing dire consequences. Although all reach revenge rooted from the fathers’ deaths, Fortinbras’ outcome is most worthy of his sacrifice by weighing the achieved aim with the minimal suffering, whereas Hamlet’s ending is the least worthy. Shakespeare introduces Fortinbras’ aim …show more content…
Laertes is quick to claim that he will get revenge for Polonius’ death as soon as he gets word from Claudius that his father is in fact dead. This extends into anger that Polonius’ honor and legacy are marred due to “his obscure funeral- no trophy, sword, nor hatchment o’er his bones, no noble rite.” (4.5.210-212) By extension of Polonius’ death, Ophelia’s madness also serves as a reason to exact revenge in any form against Polonius’ murder as Laertes promises that “her madness shall be paid by weight, till their scale turn the beam.” (4.5.156-158) These factors all culminate into the goal of targeting Hamlet for