Revenge Proves Its Own Executioner From the beginning of humanity until now, wanting revenge against a person who one feels has wronged them is a natural sentiment that has remained a normal part of society. In William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, young prince Hamlet is surrounded by his most of his friends and family members seeking revenge, both on him and on each other. Interestingly, one person’s plan for retribution escalates into two other people wanting the same thing. The first act of vengeance seen in Hamlet is when the ghost of Old Hamlet requests that Hamlet avenge his death by murdering King Claudius, which turns into Hamlet acting out toward his mother, Gertrude, as a method of getting his own revenge, and finally Laertes, the Lord Chamberlain’s son, desiring reprisal against Hamlet. The death of Old King Hamlet prompted a
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In the dark of the night while King Claudius parties, Old Hamlet’s ghost tells his son about what truly caused his death:
“GHOST. Revenge his foul and most unnatural murder.
HAMLET. Murder?
GHOST. Murder most foul, as in the best it is. But this most foul, strange and unnatural.
HAMLET. Haste me to know ’t, that I, with wings as swift
As meditation or the thoughts of love,
May sweep to my revenge.” (Shakespeare I, v, 25-31)
During this conversation with his father, Hamlet shows that he is more than willing to avenge his father’s murder. He promised his father that he would take revenge as quickly as possible, even before learning more details about the situation. The ghost goes on to tell Hamlet what he needs to know, stating: “ GHOST. I find thee apt / … Now, Hamlet, hear.
'Tis given out that, sleeping in my orchard,
A serpent stung me. So the whole ear of Denmark
Is by a forgèd process of my death
Rankly abused. But know, thou noble youth,
The serpent that did sting thy father’s life
Now wears his
In the dark of the night while King Claudius parties, Old Hamlet’s ghost tells his son about what truly caused his death:
“GHOST. Revenge his foul and most unnatural murder.
HAMLET. Murder?
GHOST. Murder most foul, as in the best it is. But this most foul, strange and unnatural.
HAMLET. Haste me to know ’t, that I, with wings as swift
As meditation or the thoughts of love,
May sweep to my revenge.” (Shakespeare I, v, 25-31)
During this conversation with his father, Hamlet shows that he is more than willing to avenge his father’s murder. He promised his father that he would take revenge as quickly as possible, even before learning more details about the situation. The ghost goes on to tell Hamlet what he needs to know, stating: “ GHOST. I find thee apt / … Now, Hamlet, hear.
'Tis given out that, sleeping in my orchard,
A serpent stung me. So the whole ear of Denmark
Is by a forgèd process of my death
Rankly abused. But know, thou noble youth,
The serpent that did sting thy father’s life
Now wears his