Fortinbras Revenge
Hamlet and Revenge
Shakespeare's Hamlet is saturated with the theme of revenge. Not merely a revenge-based thriller, it delves deep into the issue of the validity and efficacy of revenge. Employing three distinct instances of revenge to secure this end, Shakespeare's Hamlet has proved to be one of the most popular literary treatments of this subject.
Fortinbras' desire for revenge is the first introduced to the reader. His father, King Fortinbras of Norway, having been killed by King Hamlet, Fortinbras seeks to avenge his father's death. Supposing the death of King Hamlet to have caused the “state to be disjoint and out of frame,” young Fortinbras demands that the lands recently captured by King Hamlet be returned to Norway. To achieve …show more content…
Of all three paternal deaths, the death of the King of Norway is the only one that would not be considered murder in the traditional judicial sense, as he was killed in battle. Perhaps this is why Fortinbras is the only character who does not avenge himself, and rather acquits his enemies. Fortinbras' acts the most wisely, and therefore reaps the greatest benefits, unlike Hamlet and Laertes, who's desire for revenge becomes fatal.
The events following the death of King Hamlet are the pivotal point of Hamlet. Hamlet's desire to revenge this death is what Shakespeare manipulates to call into question the legitimacy of revenge. After informing Hamlet that he had been murdered, his father's ghost continues to demand that Hamlet avenge him. In this way, Hamlet's quest for revenge differs significantly from the others', as it did not …show more content…
Unlike Hamlet, Laertes takes quick, decisive, and even rashly impulsive, action. Gathering an army of followers, he storms the Castle at Elsinore, demanding justice. Ending up taking a path of treachery, Laertes does accomplish his purpose, but jeopardizes his own life. In his dying moments, Laertes' realizes the ignobility of his actions, crying “The foul practice hath turn'd itself on me.” Laertes' unthinking rashness was also the cause of additional tragedy. Had he left justice to carry out it's work, Polonious's death would likely have been avenged, and Laertes could have spared his own
Shakespeare's Hamlet is saturated with the theme of revenge. Not merely a revenge-based thriller, it delves deep into the issue of the validity and efficacy of revenge. Employing three distinct instances of revenge to secure this end, Shakespeare's Hamlet has proved to be one of the most popular literary treatments of this subject.
Fortinbras' desire for revenge is the first introduced to the reader. His father, King Fortinbras of Norway, having been killed by King Hamlet, Fortinbras seeks to avenge his father's death. Supposing the death of King Hamlet to have caused the “state to be disjoint and out of frame,” young Fortinbras demands that the lands recently captured by King Hamlet be returned to Norway. To achieve …show more content…
Of all three paternal deaths, the death of the King of Norway is the only one that would not be considered murder in the traditional judicial sense, as he was killed in battle. Perhaps this is why Fortinbras is the only character who does not avenge himself, and rather acquits his enemies. Fortinbras' acts the most wisely, and therefore reaps the greatest benefits, unlike Hamlet and Laertes, who's desire for revenge becomes fatal.
The events following the death of King Hamlet are the pivotal point of Hamlet. Hamlet's desire to revenge this death is what Shakespeare manipulates to call into question the legitimacy of revenge. After informing Hamlet that he had been murdered, his father's ghost continues to demand that Hamlet avenge him. In this way, Hamlet's quest for revenge differs significantly from the others', as it did not …show more content…
Unlike Hamlet, Laertes takes quick, decisive, and even rashly impulsive, action. Gathering an army of followers, he storms the Castle at Elsinore, demanding justice. Ending up taking a path of treachery, Laertes does accomplish his purpose, but jeopardizes his own life. In his dying moments, Laertes' realizes the ignobility of his actions, crying “The foul practice hath turn'd itself on me.” Laertes' unthinking rashness was also the cause of additional tragedy. Had he left justice to carry out it's work, Polonious's death would likely have been avenged, and Laertes could have spared his own