Hamlet Essay, Research Paper

In the play Hamlet by William Shakespeare

Two of the character’sfathers are brutishly murdered. The first murdered

character is KingHamlet who is supposed to be revenge by his son prince

Hamlet. Thesecond murder is Polonius who is supposed to be revenged

by his sonLaertes. Both Prince Hamlet and Laertes go to seek revenge

for thedeath of fathers, however they will each use different methods toaccomplish

their deeds.

Prince Hamlet has a meeting with the dead

ghost of his father KingHamlet. King Hamlet’s ghost reveals to his

son, his murder by hisbrother Claudius. Hamlet is informed by his

father that he needs to beavenged by the death of his brother Claudius.

By this time Claudius hasalready ascended the throne, and married Hamlet’s

mother QueenGertrude. Hamlet decides to take a passive approach to

avenge hisfather. Hamlet first decides to act abnormal which does

not accomplishmuch besides warning his uncle that he might know he killed

his father. Later in the play a troop of actors come to act out a play,

and Hamlet has them reenact the murder of is father in front of his uncleClaudius.

The actors murder scene also make Hamlet question himselfabout the fact

that he has done nothing yet to avenge his father. Hamletsays ” But am

I Pigeon-livered and lack gall / To make oppressionbitter, or ere this

/ I should ha’ fatted all the region kites / Withthis slave’s offal.

Bloody, bawdy villain! ( Act II scene 2 page 84line 577- 580 ). During

the play Hamlet watches is uncle Claudius tosee his reaction when the actors

perform the murder scene. Hamlet planworks his uncle throws a fit

and runs out the room, where Hamlet goesafter him. When Hamlet catches

up to his uncle his uncle is kneelingdown praying, and Hamlet pulls out

his sword and gets ready to killhim. But all the sudden Hamlet changes

his mind because if he kills hisuncle while he’s praying he will go to

heaven, and Hamlet wants him togo to hell. So hamlet postpones the

execution of his uncle.

The nextconfrontation does not happen till

the end of the book when Hamletescapes from his uncle’s ill murder attempt

on his life. Hamlet latersword fences with Laertes. All the

sudden Hamlet’s mother QueenGertrude drinks a poison glass intended for

Hamlet. When Hamlet is notlooking Laertes stabs him with a poison sword

then Hamlet takes hold ofthe poisoned sword, and stabs Laertes with it.

As this happens QueenGertrude dies from the poison drink. As Laertes lays

down dying hereveals to Hamlet that his uncle King Claudius was behind

it all, thepoisoned sword and drink that has just killed his mother. Hamlet

then ina fit of rage runs his uncle through with the poison sword.

Hamlet hasnow finally revenged his father through much time then after

his task iscompleted he finally collapses from the poison on the sword.

Polonius is murdered by Hamlet when Polonius

his discovered listeningto Hamlet, and his mother’s Queen Gertrude conversation

. Hamletunknowing of who the person behind the tapestry is,

kills Polonius fromwhere he was spying. When news of his fathers

death reaches Polonius’sson Laertes, he comes back with an entourage

to seek revenge for hisfathers death. In this conversation Laertes

believes Hamlets uncle KingClaudius is responsible for his fathers death.

” How came he dead? I’ll not be juggled with. / To hell, allegiance! Vows,

to the blackestdevil! / Conscience and grace, to the profoundest

pit! / I daredamnation. To this point I stand, / That both the worlds I

give tonegligence, / Let come what comes, only I’ll be revenged / Mostthoroughly

for my father. ( Act IV scene 5 page 134 line 133-139 ) Laertes

takes a more aggressive stand point than Hamlet Laertes isready to

kill the king right away thinking that he murdered his father. But king

Claudius tells Laertes that Hamlet is the one who killed hisfather.

King Claudius also finds out that Hamlet has escape the trapthat he setup

to get him murdered. So King Claudius sets up anotherplan with Laertes.

This plan calls for Hamlet and Laertes to have amock sword fight, but Laertes

will be using a real poisoned sword. Laertes agrees with this, ready to

claim Hamlets life for his father’svile murder. When the sword fight

begins Hamlet is winning, but Laertesgets frustrated and stabs Hamlet when

he is not looking with thepoisoned sword. After Laertes stabs Hamlet,

Hamlet then turns aroundand manages to take the sword from Laertes and

stabs Laertes with it. Although Laertes dies first he accomplishes his

purpose because Hamletwill die shortly from the poison on the sword.

In this play Hamlet by William Shakespeare

these two characters Hamletand Laertes both seek to revenged their slayed

fathers. Hamlet with ispassive and scheming approach manages to kill

his father’s murder hisuncle Claudius. Laertes with his direct,

and forceful dedication slayshis fathers killer Prince Hamlet.

Altough Laertes took a much moredirect approach than Hamlet wasting no

time, they both howeveraccomplished their goal but at the ultimate price

of both their lives!

314