ipl-logo

Revenge At What Cost Essay

625 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Hamlet's 5th soliloquy analysis

Revenge at What Cost? The tragedy, Hamlet, by William Shakespeare shows the toll that Hamlet’s quest for revenge took on those around him. Hamlet’s downfall as a tragic hero through his actions in getting justice for his father’s death show that although revenge may be desired by those who are wronged, pursuing this revenge can lead to unwanted consequences. The first two acts of the play establish Hamlet’s single-minded desire to avenge his father and remove every other thought from his mind. In Hamlet’s Scene 5, Act 1 soliloquy, he states that he will “wipe away all trivial fond records…and [his father’s] commandment all alone shall live within the book and volume of [his] brain”. After being told the truth of his father’s death by his …show more content…

Hamlet’s reversal of fortune occurs when he kills Polonius in Act 3, Scene 4, mistaking Polonius “for [his] superior”, Cladius. Hamlet dismisses this accidental murder and tells Polonius that he has “gotten what [he] deserve[s]”. Hamlet fails to realize that this mishap in his quest for revenge will have serious repercussions for those around him, specifically Ophelia. After her father’s death, Ophelia goes mad and her grief is shown through her strange, although meaningful actions. In Act 4, Scene 5, Ophelia says she’d give Gertrude and Claudius “some violets, but they all dried up when [her] father died”. Burdened with grief, Ophelia uses the symbol of violets as faithfulness to show her love for her father, as he was one of the few people who was faithful to her. Later in Scene 7 of the same act, Gertrude delivers the news that Ophelia has been “pulled…to muddy death”, informing Claudius that Ophelia drowned. It is implied that she committed suicide when Gertrude states that Ophelia was “one incapable of her own distress”, suggesting that Ophelia knew she was drowning and let it happen. Hamlet killing Claudius while seeking revenge, whether intentional or not, had dire consequences. In Act 5, Scene 1, Hamlet states that he “loved” Ophelia more than “forty thousand brothers could”. However, Hamlet’s need for revenge inadvertently led to Ophelia’s death. By being so

Show More
Related
700 Words | 3 Pages

Hamlet’s mass deception of madness has now caused his relationship to end and, as a result, Ophelia becomes enraged and, because of Hamlet, takes her own life believing she can no longer trust. From Hamlet's quote, it is clear his dishonesty about his madness and lack of affection towards Ophelia has resulted in the destruction of his relationship as well as the demise of Ophelia. Later in the play, Hamlet again displays his deceitfulness by stating, “He should those bearers put to sudden death, Not shriving time allowed” (5.2. 50-51). Hamlet has stated this after finding out his uncle Claudius has ordered two of his friends to kill him in England. Through this discovery, Hamlet decides instead of confronting Claudius and being honest to follow suit and also be deceptive, ordering his friends' deaths, and then going back home to follow

Read More
798 Words | 4 Pages

Hamlet has come to see his mother, Queen Gertrude, and ends up stabbing Lord Polonius, which ultimately leads to his death. Lord Polonius’ final words include “O, I am slain!” Even though this provides a slight amount of comic relief to the reader, it has a reverse effect on Ophelia’s mental state. Her father’s death seems to be the potent punch in this fight because she officially goes mad after this final event. This is apparent in Scene IV Act I, when Laertes has come back to visit his sister and check on her well being.

Read More
732 Words | 3 Pages

Laertes believes Hamlet is to blame not only for his father’s death, but also for Ophelia’s death because the death of her father is ultimately what drove her to killing herself. Once Laertes returns, he asks King Claudius who is responsible for the death of his father and is informed that Hamlet is the one to blame. Ophelia enters and reveals to everyone that she has gone crazy and ends up killing herself. Hamlet returns to Denmark and is surprised to find out that Ophelia has died. Laertes and Hamlet start fighting at her burial service and Hamlet says he wants to be

Read More
2017 Words | 9 Pages

Have you ever been wronged by someone so badly that you felt as though revenge was needed? Perhaps your best friend stole the woman you loved, so you felt that you needed to act and do something to get back at him. Maybe you destroy his life by starting a false rumor about him, or you get in a fight with him and humiliate him. This is just one common example of “revenge” in our everyday lives. In the play Hamlet, written by William Shakespeare, there are much more serious things going on, involving death, murder, and wars between nations.

Read More
703 Words | 3 Pages

For instance, the soliloquy in the play where Hamlet is faced with the question ‘To be or not to be’, signifies Hamlet’s moral dilemma of whether or to commit suicide or to stand up and avenge the death of father. This moral dilemma is also faced by the character of Simba the lion cub when it comes to him deciding whether to take a stand and be the King of the jungle or abdicate. At the same time, the theme of revenge, too, is one that runs deep in both the stories. Both the characters of Simba and Hamlet are driven to revenge in the similar plot. In the second article about the idea of revenge in Hamlet is reiterated when Kiernan Ryan says “Hamlet is naturally appalled to find himself failing to play the prescribed royal part of righteous avenging son.”

Read More
937 Words | 4 Pages

Hamlet has not only become distraught from his conniving and lying stepfather but also his mother, Queen Gertrude as well. The unfaithfulness that Gertrude shows to Hamlet’s father and Hamlet has a toll on him and plays a part in his insanity. The facade that Hamlet displays slowly leads to his insanity, causing him to show mistreated love towards Ophelia. In the beginning of the play, Ophelia displays a very honest

Read More
905 Words | 4 Pages

In Act III, scene i of The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark by William Shakespeare, readers will come upon Ophelia’s soliloquy. After Rosencrantz and Guildenstern have failed to find a reason as to why Hamlet is acting in a peculiar and mad way, Claudius is persuaded by Polonius that the reason for Hamlet’s madness is the broken romance between Hamlet and Ophelia. To prove this, Claudius and Polonius plan to spy on Ophelia’s meeting with Hamlet. During their conversation, Hamlet denies ever having loved her and curses her. Ophelia is left fretting over his sanity.

Read More
1947 Words | 8 Pages

‘Oh, please let’s get out.’” and Jay is left feeling hurt and betrayed, when in fact all that should have mattered to Jay is that Daisy loves him now (142). Obsession is present in Ophelia and Hamlet’s in a different way than in Jay and Daisy’s. Hamlet’s obsession with revenge ultimately leads to the death of Ophelia. By allowing Ophelia to believe that Hamlet is insane and killing Ophelia’s father, Polonius, without thinking, Hamlet’s obsession with revenge causes not only the downfall of Ophelia and Hamlet’s relationship, but also causes the emotional downfall of Ophelia, which leads to her untimely death.

Read More
937 Words | 4 Pages

Hamlet once again fails to understand that Ophelia much like himself is only trying to stay loyal to her father, much like what he is doing himself. In addition, Hamlet blames woman for giving birth to such evil and deceiving men like Claudius and himself. When he was talking to Ophelia he told her "Get thee to a nunnery. Why wouldst thou be a breeder of sinners? I am myself indifferent honest, but yet I could accuse me of such things that it were better

Read More
1059 Words | 5 Pages

It’s what drives the story, but it also burdens Hamlet’s mind. He likes to think that revenge is simple and easy, as he says “Haste me to know it, that I with wings as swift /As meditation or the thoughts of love /May sweep to my revenge.” (1.5. 30-32) This hasty fantasization happens throughout humanity and shows how revenge is often a primary course of action. However as Hamlet reaches the time to carry out his revenge for his dear father, his overthinking takes over and explains his reasoning behind his actions, before he does it.

Read More
745 Words | 3 Pages

Ophelia is grieving the loss of her father after Hamlet kills him. Ophelia doesn't know that Hamlet killed her father. But Ophelia has gone mad from learning about her father's death. Also, after Hamlet telling Ophelia that she needs to go to a nunnery, Ophelia is a little bit discouraged. She is discouraged because Hamlet had told her before that if Ophelia would sleep with him that they would get married.

Read More
764 Words | 4 Pages

Hamlet’s revenge affected multiple people in the play, starting with the effect it had on his and Ophelia’s relationship, in III.i.159 Ophelia says “and I, of ladies most deject and wretched, that sucked the honey of his musicked vows” shows that due to Hamlet breaking up with her due to his revenge (not that she knows about it) she feels like she was lied to the entire time. Ophelia was just the start of the ruined relationships Hamlet creates, due to

Read More
1313 Words | 6 Pages

Unaware of the role Hamlet is playing, Ophelia feels rejected and hurt. Eventually, Ophelia’s heartache, along with the death of her father, causes her to commit suicide. Next, Claudius and Gertrude’s role play affect their relationship with Hamlet. At the beginning of the play, Claudius takes on the role of a kind, just king; he seems to genuinely care for Hamlet. He often gives him fatherly advice, and shows affection for Hamlet in ways that an uncle would.

Read More
941 Words | 4 Pages

Many people turn to revenge when someone does something to harm the or their loved ones wrong. This is seen many different times throughout William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, and it shows one of the great motifs. The many twists and turns in the play show the impossibility of certainty. As the play begins, Hamlet is approached by what is believed as the ghost of his father. The ghost demands for Hamlet to avenge his death, as the ghost states, “if thou didst ever thy dear father love.../

Read More
851 Words | 4 Pages

In the “nunnery scene” which is played in Hamlet, Ophelia (as per her father’s and King Claudius’ instruction) attempts to push Hamlet away. As Hamlet realizes that Ophelia is trying to cut ties with him, his mood changes from sweet and loving to angry and sour. In a fit of rage Hamlet curses Ophelia’s name, ruins her name in a public setting and leaves her, upset (and crying in most adaptations) as she expresses her sorrow about having to leave Hamlet. In Ophelia’s soliloquy following her interaction with Hamlet, Ophelia mourns the loss of her ‘one true love’ and the way that Hamlet was behaving.

Read More

More about Revenge At What Cost Essay

Related Topics

Open Document