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Comparing Betrayal In Sophocles Electra, And Modern

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MENIS story edited and written by Anne Scott Includes a mixture of stories from Sophocles’ Electra and Shakespeare’s Hamlet and a story named Modern. Between all these stories there are many themes presented however only one can attract the attention of the reader. The theme that is very common would be Betrayal, it was portrayed in these stories many times and the theme is what triggered families to divide and decline in all the stories of Hamlet, Electra, and Modern. In the story of Hamlet by Shakespeare betrayal was consistent as most of the people in the play may have betrayed those who are close to them so that they can achieve their selfish needs. In Electra, the betrayal was displayed a couple of times throughout the story, first when …show more content…

Hamlet describes his hatred towards his mother when he said, “O, God! a beast, that wants discourse of reason, /would have mourn'd longer married with my/ uncle, My father's brother, but no /more like my father”. (Scott et al. 7). Furthermore, in the story betrayal was shown when hamlets talk to the ghost and discover that the ghost is father telling him that Claudius has killed him by poisoning him in the ear. The ghost tells Hamlet, “The will of my most seeming-virtuous/ queen: Sleeping within my orchard, /thy uncle stole, and in my ears did pour the distilment”. (10). This quote shows how Claudius betrayed his own family just to get the throne and rule the kingdom. Additionally, when Hamlet killed Polonius he thought it was a rat and he said to his mother Gertrude, “How now! a rat? Dead, for a ducat, dead”. (33). Betrayal was shown when Gertrude lies to her husband about Hamlet not killing Polonius but killing an actual rat and this shows how Gertrude is willing to lie to the king about Polonius being murdered by Hamlet for her own

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Act 1, Scene 1: “Let us impart what we have seen tonight Unto young Hamlet, for, upon my life, This spirit, dumb to us, will speak to him” (Crowther 16). I think this quote really sets up things for the next act, and the rest of the play. The ghost would not talk to them, so they decided to tell Hamlet about the ghost because they felt it would talk to him. This sets up Hamlet to discover the ghost who is his late father, and learn about his murder. Act 1, Scene 2: “Together with all forms, moods, shapes of grief, That can denote me truly” (Crowther 24).

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Hamlet, also, could not get over the death of his father. He found out when his father’s ghost came back that his brother, and Hamlet’s uncle, murdered him. He then was willing to do anything possible to get revenge on Claudius, his uncle. Both of

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Also, Hamlet displays his anguish at the Queen for dishonouring his dead father since “Almost as bad, good mother, as killing a king and marrying his brother” (Shakespeare, pg. 121). In this statement, Hamlet expresses how, through the marriage to her husband’s murderer, Gertrude is a symbol of dishonor and damaging her relationship with the prince. Hamlet is disgusted by Gertrude’s actions and recognizes her not as his mother but the queen and wife of Claudius, the murderer. The respect revered by children to their mother is not evident between Hamlet and Gertrude. In Gertrude’s death scene, Hamlet screams to his mother “Wretched Queen, adieu!”

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Hamlet insults his mother by using injurious words against her and by bringing up the

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He is later disgusted by his mother’s quick remarriage to his uncle, Claudius, almost two months after the death of his father who was also his mother’s husband. After Hamlet’s conversation with his father’s ghost in which Hamlet was told that his father was murdered by Claudius, he became filled with even more grief because he has a difficult duty of killing his uncle in order to avenge his father’s death. This is seen in the “to be or not to be” soliloquy.

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Gertrude’s betrayal of her son was caused by Claudius, as he comforted her after her husband’s unfortunate demise, and later married her, this was betrayal to Hamlet because he had a very high opinion of his father and thought very little of his uncle, Hamlet said “-married with my uncle, / My father’s brother, but no more like my father / Then I to Hercules; within a month” [I, ii, 151-153] showing that he believes that his mother betrayed him and his father’s memory by marrying his uncle, it also

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Some people may believe that the connection and strong affection between Hamlet and his father caused his anger to kindle even more towards Claudius, eventually leading to Hamlet's ambition towards killing his uncle. However, Hamlet is not able to take revenge because of his emotions, but when he sets them aside he is able to take action and therefore is not affected by the love of his father. Hamlet says “[i]s it monstrous that this player here,/ But in a fiction, in a dream of passion,/ could force his soul so to his own conceit/ That from her working all his visage wanned,/ Tears in his eyes, distraction in his aspect,/ A broken voice, and his whole function suiting/ With forms to his conceit?

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Hamlet’s Vengence Hamlet returned to Elsinore and received some shocking news that Hamlet’s mother had married his uncle. His expression was sad and upset all at once in his disgusted face of anger. There the door opened with the new king and the old queen entered and Hamlet standing like a tall tree and not moving like a stonewall. In the play Hamlet,by Shakespeare, Hamlet the prince of Denmark was listening to his uncle Claudius about his marrige and and him exhibiting happiness about it while Hamlet looks ashamed. As his uncle advised him to stay in his home he grows into rage about everything that happened when he came back because Claudius was having a party while he was stuck in his own house waiting for them to return.

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As if what Hamlet was living was not extreme enough, the ghost of his father begins to appear to demand revenge for his death. Hamlet found out through his father’s goth that he was murdered by Hamlet’s uncle. It is very difficult to imagen the level of pain, anger, and desire of revenge after losing both parents under so bizarre circumstances. The evil actions of the uncle to take control of the throne, I have no doubt,

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When he learns Claudius is responsible for the death of his father, he intends to reveal this newfound information to not only Gertrude, but the rest of the characters. He is smart enough to know that she will not believe him based solely on his encounter with the ghost, and must create a trap where Claudius will reveal his guilt on his own. When the players arrive at the castle, he alters their script to mimic the king’s murder and “catch the conscience of the king” (II.ii.567). During the performance, Claudius shows signs of guilt and worry, making Hamlet’s plan a success and proving his

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He is grieving the death of his father. Meanwhile, Claudius was likely voted king by the court. Hamlet is very cruel to his mother, Gertrude. This is an effect of Hamlet not having the time to grieve his father, instead he comes back to Denmark only to see his uncle marry his mother. This is causing him to be upset thus his cruelty towards his

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Polonius is willing to spy on pretty much anyone so that he can knows more details about those close to him. He spies on his son Laertes and is willing to slander him without giving it a second thought when he tells Reynaldo, “to make inquiry of his behaviour” (II.i.3-4). Polonius wants Reynaldo to both spy on Laertes and to hurt his image, so that he can learn about his son’s character. Claudius betrays Gertrude by not telling her about the poisoned cup soon enough. He does not want her to drink the poison but she doesn’t know about it until it is too late, “Gertrude, do not drink.

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Revenge is a very strong and powerful theme found in stories across all ages and all cultures. During the course of this class two books have also held this theme, Shakespeare's Hamlet and Shelley's Frankenstein. Revenge seems to be such a large theme for both Hamlet and Frankenstein's monster because they both feel utterly betrayed by the people closest to them. In Hamlet, King Hamlet is murdered by his brother, his ghost reveals this to Prince Hamlet.

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Along with avenging his death, the Ghost asks Hamlet to perform another task and says, “But howsoever thou pursuest this act, Taint not thy mind, nor let thy soul contrive Against thy mother aught” (1.5.84-85). The Ghost’s assurance of Gertrude’s safety appeals to Hamlet because Hamlet loves his mother and shows willingness to protect her. However, if the Ghost had said negative remarks about Gertrude, he would not follow the Ghost’s wishes. Furthermore, this request by the Ghost makes Hamlet emphasize family throughout the play, and it also fuels his revenge for his father. Also, the Ghost tells Hamlet how his brother betrayed him in order to become king by stating, “The serpent that did sting thy father’s life Now wears his crown” (1.5.39-40).

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While the play “Othello” explores various theme topics, and ideas the main theme topic is betrayal, which is projected through the various relationships. Shakespeare uses imagery to show the corruption of relationships through the feeling or appearance of betrayal. This is evident between three main relationships throughout the play, Desdemona and Brabantio, her father, Iago and Emilia, and Othello and Desdemona, both husband and wife. Brabantio prior to the commencement of the play has tried to arrange Desdemona’s marriage but she not only rejects most of the eligible men presented to her, she concludes that she despises marriage, so opposite to marriage that she shunned the wealthy curled darlings of our nation” (I.2.67-68) “.

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