Hamlet's Conflict With Revenge

This piece was my greatest challenge because the writing style that the author, William Shakespeare chose was difficult to understand. He used words that I had never heard before. I had to work through the play line by line. I also had to reread several different parts of the play. Even though it was a challenge, I eventually understood what was going on in the play enough to write the essay to the best of my ability.

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Hamlet, by William Shakespeare is about a man seeking revenge for his father’s murder. Throughout the play, Hamlet's only thought is to get revenge. Hamlet does not pay attention to the people around him. He only concentrates on his own inner struggle. Although he is conflicted, Hamlet eventually gives in to revenge, and it begins to consume his life. In the end Hamlet loses his dad, girlfriend, mom, and eventually his mind.

Hamlet's father is murdered, and he seeks revenge for his death. Hamlet’s mom marries his uncle a few months after his father is murdered. Hamlet eventually figure out his uncle is responsible for his father's murder. Hamlet sets up a play to see if his uncle will show guilt for his father's murder. As the actor's act out the play, Claudius does show guilt.

Furthermore, King Hamlet's spirit walks the earth for sins committed in life for a short period of time. Marcellus and Bernardo are the first people to see the ghost. The next person to see the ghost was Horatio, and he tries to talk to the spirit. The ghost refuses to talk to him. Haratio thinks the ghost will not refuse to talk to his son, Prince Hamlet. Hamlet talks to the ghost, and the ghost tells Hamlet how he was killed. The ghost says the murder was foul and most unnatural. The book states ghost says to Hamlet: "Revenge his foul and unnatural death. Murder most foul, strange and unnatural" (1.5.25).The ghost wants Hamlet to revenge his death, but not to act against his mother. Hamlet is angry that his father's murder is not brought to justice, but struggles with doubt if he can trust the ghost and kill Claudius. This causes Hamlet to seek revenge.

Revenge causes Hamlet to lose his girlfriend Ophelia. Hamlet loves Ophelia, because he says no brother can love her the way he can. Hamlet states: “I loved Ophelia; forty thousand brothers could not with all of their quantity of love make up my sum. What wilt thou do for her" (5.1.253). Ophelia contributes to the downfall of Hamlet. Ophelia's brother Laertes cautions he against falling in love with Hamlet also. Then, Hamlet kills Polonius, and causes Ophelia to commit suicide. Ophelia drowns herself, because she is weak and mad. Hamlet's paranoia about revenge is what causes him to kill Polonius.

In addition to Ophelia Hamlet contributes to his mother's downfall. Hamlet does not like his mother's new husband, Claudius. Hamlet suspects Claudius has killed his father. Gertrude loves Hamlet deeply, but is a weak woman seeking affection more than truth. The king sets up a dual match between Hamlet and Laertes. The king says that if Hamlet wins the first or second hit, he will drink to Hamlet's health. He declares that he will throw a valuable gem into Hamlet's cup, which is poison. Hamlet strikes Laertes, but decides not to drink the cup. Gertrude rises to drink from the cup. The king tells her not to drink from the cup, but she does anyway. Claudius tells Gertrude, "Gertrude does not drink. It is the poisoned cup, it is to late" (1499-1500). By Hamlet participating in the duel, has led to his mother's death.

In the end Hamlet even loses his mind. Hamlet pretends to be crazy in order for people in order for people not to know what is going on. Eventually Hamlet really does become crazy. Hamlet thinks about killing Claudius while he is praying, but is afraid that Claudius will go to heaven, and he will go to hell. Hamlet violently slays Claudius and the universe is working through him to deliver justice. Hamlet loses his father, and it causes him to go crazy, and kill Polonius. Rosencrantz and Gildenstern betray Hamlet, and he has them executed. Hamlet loses all sense and commits murder. Hamlet is a good decent man driven to the edge.

Revenge causes Hamlet to lose everyone that is close to him. He eventually even loses his mind. Hamlet seeking revenge for his father's death begins to corrupt his life. Revenge can cause people to neglect their lives, and other things happening around them. By the end a lot of people end up dead, and Hamlet's quest for revenge is the blame.



Work Cited
Shakespeare, William. Hamlet. Literature: An Introduction to Reading and Writing. 7th ed. Ed.
Edgar V. Roberts and Henry E. Jacobs. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Prentice Hall, 2004. 1307-1406.