Is Hamlet primarily a tragedy of revenge? State the reasons for your answer.
There are multiple ways to interpreter Hamlet. An interpretation is based on experiences and morals by the individual, and Hamlet is a character in which the meaning of his action depends on the individual's interpretation. As Oscar Wilde wrote: "There are as many Hamlets as there are melancholies"1. This means that it is internal how to interpreter him and his actions. Nevertheless, the majority would say that Hamlet is a remarkably conflicted character, and the story revolves around his questions toward mortality and the humanity in general. Revenge might be a theme on the surface of the play. However, it might be that the acts are a way to illustrate the seemingly meaninglessness of mankind and the actions of the individual. The hunger for revenge results in a tragic death for each of the main characters. This weakens the validity of revenge, as it afflict each of them as well as their enemies. The uselessness of revenge is also emphasizing the question of the existence of the human beings. The story might be a way to indicate a deeper meaning, which lies in the way to interpreter. The manner of the individual's reactions to the story is important to discover the deeper meaning of the play. This way it is extremely individual whether revenge might be a theme or a device to emphasize a deeper meaning of the play.
As revenge might be the engine of the play, the play is primarily describing Hamlet's inner struggle to take action. Betrayal might also be relevant, as Hamlet experiences a series of treacheries from the ones he trusted. Betrayal and revenge is pulled well together, as revenge is the natural reaction to a betrayal. This brings about an endless cycle, which in Hamlet's case results in tragic death. This reference to the basic instincts might work as a destruction of the logic reasoning. The interpretation and comprehension of the play is probably quite different today, and the original essence of the play might have changed throughout the 400 years.
The tragic hero is usually a member of the noble class, and an exclusive flaw brings about his downfall. ... In most cases, it is the tragic hero who performs the act of betrayal. ... (Hamlet V.ii.58). ... The most popular of Shakespeare's tragic plays end with death, usually of the protagonist. ... Aside from comedic entertainment, the comedies of Shakespeare do contain moral values. ...
Hamlet starts a battle of wits with Claudius by acting mad, "To put an antic disposition on," although the whole thing was in fact a ploy on Hamlet's behalf to get closer to his uncle to make it easier to avenge the death of his father and kill Claudius.1 The ghost of old Hamlet then repeatedly returns to see Hamlet due to the period of doubt that Hamlet goes through where he tries to decide whether or not to kill Claudius; and we are indeed also shown direct contact between the audience and Hamlet through his long soliloquies, one of the most famous of these being his first one i...
The people of Denmark do not realize this comedy, but an experienced Shakespeare reader can decipher through Hamlet's words and understand 2 that he was not mad rather strategically smart in his words. A classic quote from the text, "something is rotten in the state of Denmark," gives evidence to the fact that comedy does exist in Hamlet's words. ... Hamlet kills Polonius. ... In this scene, Hamlet unveils the truths of everything that occurred and eventually, like so many of other tragic heroes, he dies from the sword. ... Laertes wanted to kill Hamlet. ...
The tragic hero's character illustrates violent outbursts, all the while attaining the love of his audience. ... Hamlet's father's death builds up too much grief in Hamlet that his sorrow makes him contemplate suicide. ... Every tragic situation encourages Hamlet to commit suicide and his thoughts turn into self-destructive poems. ... Hamlet's character forms the play. ... Finally, his everlasting puns bring comedy into the play. ...
Hamlet in Shakespeare's, "The Tragedy of Hamlet" William Shakespeare, the greatest playwright of the English language,wrote a total of 37 plays in his lifetime, all of which can be categorizedunder tragedy, comedy, or history. ... Its main character, Hamlet, possesses a tragic flaw, whichobstructs his desire for revenge and ultimately brings about his death. This tragic flaw makes him a tragic hero, a character who is destroyedbecause of a major weakness, as his death at the end could possibly havebeen avoided were it not for his tragic flaw. ... Hamlet directly identifies hisown tragic...
Hamlet: Sincerity versus Deceit The Shakespearean play, Hamlet, is a story of revenge and the way the characters in the play respond to grief and the demands of loyalty. ... When Polonius speaks he is repetitive showing his doubt in his speech: "The best actors in the world, either for tragedy, comedy, history, pastoral, pastoral-comical, historical-pastoral, tragical-historical, tragical-comical-historical-pastoral- (2.2.361). ... This last demand of the tragic hero implies the view of Horatio as a man of moral integrity and honesty. ... In his first attempt to convince Hamlet about the gho...
Shakespeare's comic relief as Shakespeare's Hamlet is recounted from another point of view, in Tom Stoppard's Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, a new sense of witty comedy is sprung forth from the classic play. In all actuality, the play is classified as a tragic comedy, because although the dialogue and flow of the play is one of a laid back comedy, the play does end in death. ... Following this completely stupid question game the two enacted a hypothetical encounter with Hamlet. It almost took all of Rosencrantz's brain power just to understand the fact that Guildens...
