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Essay / An analysis of the theme of revenge in William Shakespeare's Hamlet
In modern times, justice is almost always done. Most crimes and misdeeds are reprimanded and punishments are meted out. Yes, few people go beyond the law to take matters into their own hands. But it is the co-formality of law and justice that prevents the world from becoming chaotic. Vengeance is considered barbaric and adolescent; the possibility of retaliating or obtaining satisfaction. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Justice is fair and impartial behavior or treatment. In Shakespeare's Hamlet, three characters suffer the sudden death of a family member. The way these characters deal with their problems reflects the rage and confusion that exists in the play. Hamlet, Laertes, and Claudius allow madness to poison their minds, disabling any chance of justice, and allowing cold-blooded vengeance to take over. With the unexpected death of his father, Laertes is overcome by misplaced anger and unanswered questions. In search of answers, he turns to Claudius. At this point, Laertes is frustrated and likely to find a cure for his pain; to find it, he turns to Claude. Claudius presents his plan for revenge. “No place, indeed, should murder sanctuaries. Revenge should have no limits. But, good Laertes, if you want to do it, stay near your room. These words are like a fishing reel, hooking the naive fish with the illusion of a flourishing worm. Laertes has an unsaturated thirst for revenge, revenge for the murder of his father. His word is like his blood, sealing a contact that will later lead to his own death. Madness seizes Laertes. He is blind and sees that revenge is not the solution. Madness suffocates the soul of faithful Laertes, unable to breathe the sweet words of fair justice. Laertes challenges Hamlet to a fencing match, to make up for his two defeats. Reason leaves the mind of her sister-in-law, Ophélie, she leaves this world to join her father. Laertes, distraught and furious, demands a duel against the prince. Laertes and Hamlet exchange words before the match. The match begins, with two hits against Laertes, the opportunity for him to hit Hamlet becomes narrow. The sword dipped in poison cuts the skin of the unsuspecting Hamlet. His presentation is now contaminated, with the murderous vengeance of Laertes. Filled with anger and seeking his own vengeance, Hamlet pierces Laertes' skin with the poisoned sword. They are both doomed to death. Laertes' last words ask for forgiveness. Justice puts a murderer to death. Justice leaves the victim, Polonious's son, to deal with his own questions of forgiveness. Revenge blackens the heart of the victim and changes their innocence into ignorance. With Laertes' search for self-satisfying revenge, he becomes naive to justice's simplistic response. Unlike Laertes and Hamlet, Claudius is presented as the villain. At the beginning of the play, Hamlet is visited by his father's ghost. The Ghost explains to Hamlet what happened. Hamlet swears revenge on Claudius for the murder of his father. The kingdom experiences a funeral and a wedding in the space of two months. Queen Gertrude is involved in both. The only person who sees anything wrong with this is Hamlet; as a result, he confronts Gertrude. Here is your husband, like a moldy ear / blasting his healthy brother. Hamlet opens the door for his mother so that she can reach out and become aware of Claudius' hands covering her eyes, preventing her from seeing her surroundings. She realizes that.”