Themes of Love and Revenge in Shakespeares Hamlet Essay -- Shakespear

Themes of Love and Revenge in Shakespeares Hamlet Love is one of the most respectable themes in Hamlet, but a superior force - REVENGE, drives Hamlets love. Revenge of his fathers murder. Hamlet is bemused and melancholic over the fact that his mother married his own uncle and so quickly later on his fathers death. Even though he does not immediately suspect foul play in his fathers untimely death, he is in a state of shock. As Kenneth Muir states, He (Hamlet) is profoundly shocked by Gertrudes marriage to his uncle in less than two months after her first husbands death, although he has no conscious suspicion that his father has been murdered or that his mother had committed adultery. The ghost characterization seems to fuel Hamlets revenges of his fathers murder, but also, as we will discuss later this scene confuses Hamlet. Hamlets revenge of his fathers murder is successful, but very costly. Hamlet pays the ultimate price of his mothers, his sweetheart Ophelias, his friends a nd his own life to accomplish this revenge. Hamlets revenge for his fathers murder begins just after the ghost scene, were Hamlet meets his fathers ghost and is told of the murder. Hamlets father tell him to revenge his murder Revenge his foul and most unnatural murder (I, v, 25). Hamlets response is to swear that I, with locomote as swift As meditation or the thoughts of love, May sweep to my revenge.(I, v, 29-31). Hamlet is now determined, even inspired to a rapid revenge. Hamlet is confused with his fathers death and is suspicious of foul play, but even after the ghost scene Hamlets seems to be vacillating amid actuality (Was his father murder by his uncle?) and frenetic depression. Hamlet even goes as far as considering suicide. ... ...ve his final revenge. Hamlets revenge has led him to wanton and meaningless slaughter. He may have ultimately win the battle within himself, but he dies with the blood of eight men on his hands, five of them innocent victims, helpless bystand ers who were pointlessly struck down because they came between two mighty opposites. Hamlets revenge has led to the destruction of two entire families and to the abandonment of the State to a foreign adventurer. BIBLIOGRAPHY Hoy, C. HAMLET William Shakespeare, New York, 1963 Prosser, E. HAMLET & REVENGE, Stanford, 1971 Wilson, J. What happens in HAMLET, New York, 1964 Muir, K. SHAKESPREARE Hamlet, London, 1983 Cantor, P. Landmarks of World Literature SHAKESPEARE Hamlet, New York, 1989 Farnham, W. HAMLET PRINCE OF DENMARK, New York, 1985 Mercer, P. HAMLET and the Acting of Revenge, London, 1987