King Hamlet Research Paper

Has anyone ever done you wrong? Took something important away from you? Something you worked your entire life for? This is exactly what happened to King Hamlet in Hamlet by William Shakespeare. King Hamlet worked for everything in life: his family, reputation, and position in society; however, that was all taken away from him when his envious brother, Claudius, poisoned him and took his life. After King Hamlet’s death, the King appeared before his only child, Hamlet, as a specter who wanted revenge for his murder. King Hamlet, an essentially invisible character, has a significant presence in Hamlet through his hubris and sense of betrayal that cause him to emphasize the play’s theme of revenge. King Hamlet’s hamartia, hubris, makes his only

After Hamlet’s conversation with King Hamlet’s specter, he “puts an antic disposition on” to prevent anyone from knowing that he knows about his father’s murder (I.v.191-192). Hamlet’s folderol causes Ophelia, Hamlet’s previous love, to go mad with uncertainty similar to Hamlet after his conversation with his father’s specter. Hamlet’s antic disposition has Gertrude worried about her son, so she plans on talking to him while Polonius hides behind the arras spying on them. When Hamlet questions Gertrude, she calls for help and Polonius reveals himself from behind the arras by calling for the guards. Hamlet impulsively draws his sword and kills Polonius. After killing the “rat,” Ophelia “drowns” by the brook after realizing that what she had before was now gone. Laertes, similar to Hamlet, wants revenge for his father’s murder and sister’s death. Claudius plans a fencing match between Laertes and Hamlet. Laertes decides to “anoint [his] sword” (IV.vii.160). As Claudius and Laertes’ plan B, Claudius will “prepare a chalice for the nonce” with poison that Hamlet will drink after he is victorious (IV.vii.183). Claudius wants to protect himself and get rid of the only person that poses a threat to his rule of Denmark. During the fencing match, things take a wrong turn when Gertrude drinks from the poisoned chalice. Laertes “wounds Hamlet, then in scuffling,

The first act of Hamlet sets the stage for the rest of the play’s idea of revenge. King Hamlet’s ghost initiates a sequence of events that lead to the death of his murderer, Claudius. King Hamlet’s specter immediately tells Hamlet to “revenge his foul and most unnatural murder;” however, Hamlet does not know if the ghost is real (I.v.14). One of the most fascinating parts about King Hamlet’s plan is that he instructs Hamlet to “leave [Gertrude] to heaven and to those thorns that in her bosom lodge to prick and sting her” (I.v.93). Hamlet is to kill Claudius but not take any action against his mother. King Hamlet still loves his wife even though she most likely knew about Claudius’ plan to kill King Hamlet and take his place on the throne. Hamlet is not the only one that is after revenge. Laertes also wants to avenge his father’s murder. Laertes wants Hamlet’s death so much that he is willing to “cut his throat i’ the church” (IV.vii.144). The church in England and Denmark is a holy place where people go to connect with God; however, Laertes is so angry at Hamlet that he is willing to kill him in a sacred place. After Laertes and Claudius plan to kill Hamlet in a fencing match, Laertes kills Hamlet while Hamlet kills Claudius. Both men avenge their fathers. Even Fortinbras, another brief character with a significant presence in Hamlet, avenges his father by regaining the land his