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Hamlet

9 Pages 2354 Words


revenge being to remove himself from his uncle. Revenge
in any context is morally wrong (in Hamlet’s religion and belief). Hamlet himself realizes this and is
aware that the deeds he is charged to commit can never bring about good, yet he knows he must
complete them. "O, cursed spite, That ever I was born to set it right." (Act2, Scene1) Hamlet's intent to
revenge his father's murder dooms him from the start because of his wish to catch Claudius where
bystanders may also be witness to his guilt, therefore turning Hamlet from an assassin to an executioner.
Although Hamlet does get his wish the price he pays is far too dear, perhaps however the death of those
eight people was the only solution to correct the times that were "out of joint". The end justifies the
means, but Hamlet does become similar in thought and action to Claudius as the original seed of
revenge took root, and Hamlet could do nothing but let it grow.
Hamlet's plot to catch Claudius center on his will to find out whether or not the apparition he witnessed
was telling the truth. In Shakespeare's time a ghost was often regarded as a misleading spirit so in this
way Hamlet's procrastination coupled with his conscience makes it understandable that he does not act
quickly. The play is Hamlet's most cunning scheme. This shows us the treachery which Hamlet is
capable of, in stark contrast to his almost jovial mood at the thought of revenge on Claudius. This
orchestration of a play paralleling the murder and incest his uncle commits, shows us how Hamlet has
become part of the diseased world shown on the stage. "The plays the thing, Wherein I'll catch the
conscience of the King." (Act2, Scene2) We see in Hamlet a drastic change with the arrival of the
players. His mood lightens considerably and there is a hint that this may have been more like the prince
of Denmark before his father's murder. However, within this jovial and perhaps slightly too good-natured
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