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Why Is Loyalty Important In Hamlet

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In the tragedy of Hamlet written by the great English playwright William Shakespeare, it tells a story of a son seeking revenge for his father’s murder, but his madness gets everyone else killed. In the story, the theme of loyalty plays a critical role shaping the story and also the main character, Hamlet. Three people have significant influences on him: Gertrude’s disloyalty causes Hamlet’s madness; the betrayal of his old friends pushes him on the journey of revenge; but Horatio’s loyalty helps him to make wise decisions. As the story unfolds, Hamlet has already been facing a lot, especially his mother’s disloyalty to him and his father. Being the prince of Denmark, Hamlet is supposed to have a luxurious and relaxed life. Instead, he …show more content…

Rosencrantz, Guildenstern and Hamlet went to university together, and they used to be friends. However, the friends decide to be on the opposite side: “That you vouchsafe your rest here in our court some little time so by your companies to draw him on to pleasures and to gather, so much as from occasion you may glean, whether aught, to us unknown, afflicts him thus that, opened, lies within our remedy” (Shakespeare II.ii.13-18). King Claudius asks the old buddies of Hamlet to come over and figure out what is happening with him, but what he is really trying to say is to let them spy on him. Later, on their journey to England, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern even deliver a letter in order to kill Hamlet, as Hamlet said: “With—ho!—such bugs and goblins in my life That, on the supervise (no leisure bated, no, not to stay the grinding of the ax. My head should be struck off” (Shakespeare V.ii.23-26). Hamlet must be very upset to find out his friends have been watching over him and even going to send him to death. He decides to revenge them all and ask Denmark to kill them both. Hamlet is no longer merciful like before, struggling whether he should revenge on his uncle, Claudius. Old friends' deceit strengthens his attitude against his

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Although Hamlet is plotting to murder a king which is the highest form of treason any person could commit in his time, is made to seem like an honorable and justified action. Through the ghost of his father demanding that Hamlet avenge his untimely death by the hand of his brother, the audience disposes of this idea that plotting against and killing a king is treason. The audience understands Hamlets rage and desire for revenge and is encourages it although Claudius is the new king of Denmark and father to Hamlet. This betrayal Hamlet commits against his former uncle now his adoptive father would disgust the audience had it not been that Claudius was guilty of murdering Hamlets father and plotting to murder Hamlet. By having this double crossing it establishes how not even the bonds of family can quench the thirst for power and

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Throughout the play, Hamlet demonstrates a great amount of loyalty towards his father who had passed away all he wanted to do was bring peace to him in his afterlife. Hamlet was devastated when he had first found out that his father died all his emotion went towards his father. When he first finds out that the mother is re marrying again he felt that his mother was not being loyal to him whatsoever. One of Hamlets act of loyalty was his

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Throughout the play, Hamlet is forced to make difficult decisions; as he is conflicted with almost every decision he makes, his uncertainty and unsophisticated thoughts will eventually lead to his downfall. Man vs. Self is a common theme in Shakespeare’s work, and Hamlet is no exception. The most distinct example of this sophisticated concept is Hamlet himself. When analyzed thoroughly, Hamlet is his greatest obstacle and enemy. The earliest of his internal conflicts is when his mother married his uncle, Claudius, in such a short window of time after his father’s death.

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Rosencrantz and Guildenstern and supposedly Hamlets loyal friends since his childhood, but with one order by Claudius, they immediately turned against him. This demonstrates the importance of distinguishing between true friends, those who would always stand by you, and fake friends, and those who would go behind your back willingly. But, even though they betrayed Hamlet and attempted to get him executed in England, Hamlet does benefit from this situation. He learns to be cunning and swift with his actions, which benefits him later in the story when he has to duel the others. By acting swiftly and cunningly, he is able to create a forgery of the letter and save his own life and eventually seal his fate.

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By expressing their unwavering loyalty to the king by agreeing to spy on Hamlet, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern reinforce the theme of deception as he betrays Hamlet, their long-time friend, in order to carry out Claudius’s dirty work. This betrayal and deception ultimately lead to their tragic demise as the letter, Hamlet’s execution note, which they are ordered to deliver, is discovered by Hamlet himself and used against them. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are executed and Hamlet feels no guilt whatsoever, as their betrayal really hurt him. Another illustration of deception is highlighted through the various acts of King Claudius, as he is the mastermind behind many of

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