Revenge

1. Revenge • Ghosts, perverse family drama, and a vow of revenge: Hamlet is all geared up to be a traditional bloody revenge play… and then it grinds abruptly to a halt. • The play isn't about Hamlet's ultimately successful vengeance for his father's murder at all—that's taken care of in about two seconds during Act 5. Instead, most of the play is concerned with Hamlet's inner struggle to take action. • The play is a lot more interested in calling into question the validity and usefulness of revenge. • Revenge is the initial motivation for Hamlet's transformation into anger and madness. • In Shakespeare's time, "Revenge Tragedies" were a popular form of entertainment for theatre goers. The Bible explicitly forbids revenge but human instinct often wants it. • Hamlet appears to desire revenge for his father's murder, but other concerns cloud the issue. Hamlet has the chance to kill Claudius when he finds him apparently knelt in prayer. Hamlet hesitates because he fears that if Claudius dies while he is praying, he might go to heaven. Hamlet is determined that Claudius should go to hell for his betrayal and deception. • The uncertainty about the nature of the old King's death also confuses the matter. Hamlet feels unable to take revenge unless he is absolutely sure of Claudius' guilt. • Laertes' sense of revenge is much stronger than Hamlet's and Shakespeare contrasts the two. Laertes does not need to be convinced of Hamlet's guilt to take revenge.

2. The Ghost claims that he's doomed to suffer in Purgatory until young Hamlet avenges his "foul and most unnatural murder" by killing Claudius. • The doctrine of Purgatory doesn't say anything about murder helping Purgatorial souls get to heaven —prayers but not vengeance. • After the Reformation, Protestants rejected the idea of Purgatory as a "Catholic superstition." As a Protestant, Hamlet might see the ghost as a bit suspicious, which links to his uncertainty about his purpose GHOSTI am thy father's spirit,Doom'd for a certain term to walk the night,And for the day confined to fast in fires,Till the foul crimes done in my days of natureAre burnt and purged away. (1.5)

3. Hamlet initially appears eager for revenge before he realises what he must do to acquire it. • Is it the thought of murder or specifically killing a king, which dulls his desire? • This initially eagerness is instinctive. It is when he considers the consequences that he is paralysed by his own indecision. GHOSTRevenge his foul and most unnatural murder. HAMLETMurder! GHOSTMurder most foul, as in the best it is;But this most foul, strange and unnatural. HAMLETHaste me to know't, that I, with wings as swiftAs meditation or the thoughts of love,May sweep to my revenge. (1.5)

4. HAMLETNow might I do it pat, now he is praying;And now I'll do't. And so he goes to heaven;And so am I revenged. That would be scann'd:A villain kills my father; and for that,I, his sole son, do this same villain sendTo heaven. (3.3) • Once again, Hamlet finds a reason to not kill Claudius. His rationale? He says he doesn't want to murder him while the man is praying because he's afraid he'll send Claudius's soul straight to "heaven.“ • Revenge, for Hamlet, isn't simply about killing Claudius —it's about making sure he suffers in Hell, just like he thinks his father is doing.

5. This is a major turning point for Hamlet. • As he watches Fortinbras' army march across Denmark, he contemplates the fact that so many men will lose their lives fighting for an insignificant and tiny piece of territory, which is nothing more than an "eggshell." • At the same time, Hamlet feels a sense of shame that he (a man who has a very good reason to fight), does nothing about the fact that his father has been "kill'd" and his mother has been "stain'd." • It is in this very moment that Hamlet's thoughts turn bloody as he sets a direct course for revenge. HAMLET Witness this army of such mass and chargeLed by a delicate and tender prince,Whose spirit with divine ambition puff'dMakes mouths at the invisible event,Exposing what is mortal and unsureTo all that fortune, death and danger dare,Even for an egg-shell. . . . . . O, from this time forth,My thoughts be bloody, or be nothing worth! (4.4)

6. LAERTESHow came he dead? I'll not be juggled with:To hell, allegiance! vows, to the blackest devil!Conscience and grace, to the profoundest pit!I dare damnation. To this point I stand,That both the worlds I give to negligence,Let come what comes; only I'll be revengedMost thoroughly for my father. (4.5) • Compared to Hamlet, Laertes is like a little immediate and intent on vengeance: when he learns that his father's dead, he returns from France immediately, storms the Danish castle, and promises that he'll be "revenged." • Claudius eventually convinces Laertes to pursue a more roundabout path to vengeance. The intricate plot to lure Hamlet into a "friendly" duel recalls the kind of plotting (which results in more delay) that we've seen from young Hamlet. • Do Claudius and Hamlet have more in common than they'd want to admit?

7. CLAUDIUSHamlet comes back: what would you undertake,To show yourself your father's son in deedMore than in words?LAERTESTo cut his throat i'th’ church.KING CLAUDIUSNo place, indeed, should murder sanctuarize;Revenge should have no bounds. (4.7) • Revenge is a higher ideal even than church—or so Claudius tells Laertes • Link to Hamlet’s inability to take revenge on Claudius whilst praying.

8. Shakespeare's tragic heroes always die. At the same time, the plays are always concerned with re-establishing a sense of political order. • Hamlet's dying words and his "prophesy" that Fortinbras will win the next "election" anticipates the Norwegian prince's arrival in Denmark and likely succession to the throne. • We're left with a sense that Denmark, as a collective whole, will be in capable hands. Happy ending? • Yes Hamlet has finally killed Claudius and ‘avenged’ his father, but more importantly has he ‘saved’ Denmark from decay and corruption? Is that his legacy? HAMLETO, I die, Horatio;The potent poison quite o'er-crows my spirit:I cannot live to hear the news from England;But I do prophesy the election lightsOn Fortinbras: he has my dying voice;So tell him, with the occurrents, more and less,Which have solicited. The rest is silence. (5.2)

9. Laertes V Hamlet • LAERTESHow came he dead? I'll not be juggled with. • To hell, allegiance! vows, to the blackest devil!Conscience and grace, to the profoundest pit!I dare damnation. To this point I stand,That both the worlds I give to negligence,Let come what comes; only I'll be revenged • Most thoroughly for my father. (4:5) • HAMLETAngels and ministers of grace defend us! • Be thou a spirit of health or goblin damned, • Bring with thee airs from heaven or blasts from hell, • Be thy intents wicked or charitable. (1:4) • O cursed spite, • That I was born to set it right!(1:5) • Laertes means this world and the next. He is determined to have revenge even if he dies in this world and is damned in the next. • Hamlet agonises over this pursuit and if it is designed to corrupt his soul and send him to hell. • Laertes embraces his role as wronged son. • Hamlet despairs that he was ever born to take on such a burden

10. King Hamlet V Claudius • KING HAMLETIf thou didst ever thy dear father love – • Revenge his foul and most unnatural murder. • If thou hast nature in thee, bear it not, • Let not the royal bed of Denmark be • A couch for luxury and damned incest. • (1:5) • CLAUDIUSLaertes, was your father dear to you? • Or are you like the painting of a sorrow, • A face without a heart? • Hamlet comes back. What would you undertake • To show yourself your father’s son in deed • More than words? (4:7) • Despite their different approaches to revenge. Laertes and Claudius are both influenced by the respective Kings. • Are they both just pawns in a game

11. 1. Choose a play which has a theme of revenge or betrayal or sacrifice. Show how the dramatist explores your chosen theme and discuss how this treatment enhances your appreciation of the play as a whole. OR 2. Choose a play which has a definite turning point or decisive moment. Explain briefly what happens at that point or moment and go on to explain why you think it is so important to the rest of the play.