Hamlet's Loyalty Toward His Father

William Shakespeare’s famous play Hamlet takes place in Denmark after its king has died. The play begins when Denmark’s prince, Hamlet, learns the truth behind his father’s murder; he was killed by Hamlet's uncle, Claudius. Hamlet seeks to avenge his father’s death by killing Claudius, and feigns madness to accomplish this. When Hamlet accidentally kills the chief counselor of Claudius, Polonius, it becomes clear that Hamlet is not only going to hurt Claudius, but many others. Upon hearing of his father’s death, Laertes, Polonius’s son, begins to seek revenge for his father’s killer. As the play unfolds, Hamlet and Laertes stay true to their desires of seeking revenge. They are both loyal to their fathers even upon their deaths. Although their …show more content…
Throughout his life, Hamlet deeply admired his father. When Horatio visits Hamlet for his father’s funeral, Hamlet tells Horatio that his father “was a man. Take him for all in all, I shall not look upon his like again”(Hamlet 1.2.195-196). Hamlet tells Horatio that he will miss his father, and will never meet anyone quite like his father again. This explains why Hamlet was so sad upon his father’s death, and shows the reasoning behind his revenge. Hamlet also demonstrates his loyalty when he gets angry with Gertrude, his mother, for marrying Claudius so close after his father’s death. In 1.2, Hamlet says, “She married. O, most wicked speed, to post with such dexterity to incestuous sheets! It is not, nor it cannot come to good. But break, my heart, for I must hold my tongue”(1.2.160-164). The loyalty Hamlet feels for his father goes so far that he feels disgusted that his mother would marry another. Later on in the story, Hamlet says, “Now to my word…I have sworn’t” (1.5 117-119). He promises his father’s ghost that he will avenge his death and kill Claudius. Hamlet keeps his promise, and although he does eventually kill Claudius, he also gets himself …show more content…
The closeness of Polonius and Laertes can be seen when Polonius tells Laertes, “to thine own self be true”(1.3.84). When Polonius is killed, because of the closeness of their relationship, Laertes becomes very angry with Hamlet. He, like Hamlet, wants to avenge his father’s death. He will do anything to be loyal to his father. He tells Claudius, “Let come what comes, only I’ll be revenged most thoroughly for my father (4.5 154-155).” Laertes will do anything for his father, and he becomes blinded by his loyalty and will do anything as long as it means avenging his father’s death, and this eventually leads to his