Motifs of Revenge and Procrastination in Hamlet Essay

In Hamlet by William Shakespeare, the playwright uses the motifs of revenge and procrastination, to demonstrate that both of these motifs will always bring corruption and harm to those that make use of them. Revenge is a concept introduced into the play from the very start when the Ghost appears and speaks with Hamlet. Immediately after the Ghost of his father tells him to seek vengeance, Hamlet quickly becomes charged with anger and exclaims, â€Å"I with wings as swift as meditation or the thoughts of love may sweep to my revenge† (Shakespeare I, v, 29-31). Hamlet is optimistic about his revenge and even to the end believes it will bring justice and sanity back to everyone. However, he is gravely mistaken because his lust for retribution†¦show more content†¦Hamlet had the misconception that revenge could actually result in equality and it does do that, but it still never pays to utilize the eye for an eye method of unsatisfying fairness and revenge as the only way to settle problems. Shakespeare was trying to state that revenge does not set situations right for anyone because it does not change what crime the person committed in the past and if someone strikes back aft er being the victim it only brings more pain and chaos to others and sometimes themselves and never brings genuine satisfaction to the issue. Procrastination is another reoccurring topic Shakespeare writes about in Hamlet. After hearing of how Claudius poisoned his father to gain the throne, Hamlet goes on a quest to avenge his father and he seems to be passionate and swift with it at first. But, Hamlet over-thinks everything in his life and delays his retaliation towards his uncle. Even when a perfect opportunity presents itself when Claudius is praying by himself, Hamlet complicates things by thinking to much and decides not to by uttering â€Å"am I then revenged to take him in the purging of his soul when he is fit and seasoned for his passage? No. Up, sword, and know thou a more horrid hent† (III, iii, 85-89). If Hamlet had only got his revenge right then and there he could have prevented the tragedy that would comeShow MoreRelatedWilliam Shakespeares Hamlet964 Words   |  4 Pagesunsatisfactory situation. In William Shakespeares Hamlet, a characters inability to overcome their weakness due to it being empha sized by their unfortunate circumstance results in their tragic downfall. This is illustrated through Hamlets over thinking, Claudiuss ambition, and Gertrudes naive persona. Hamlets character is one that is very thoughtful and conscious, however some view these qualities as procrastination and over thinking. Even Hamlet himself acknowledges this in his soliloquyRead MoreHamlet- Shakespeare dramatises the tension between Passion and Reason1413 Words   |  6 Pagesï » ¿SHAKESPEARE DRAMATISES THE TENSION BETWEEN PASSION AND REASON IN HAMLET TO WHAT EXTENT DOES THIS VIEW SUPPORT YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE PLAY Acts of passion and acts of reason can be differentiated by a sense of underlying tension, Shakespeare’s ‘Hamlet’ published in 1601 explores these universal ideologies by dramatizing this underlying tension. ‘Hamlet’ presents challenging representations of the traditional values of passion and reason through their varying forms. The representation of theseRead MoreComparing Hamlet And The Godfather1758 Words   |  8 PagesHamlet Essay Hamlet a play written by William Shakespeare is solely revolved around the seeking justice. Hamlet is a tragic play, which involves the Prince of Denmark (Hamlet) seeking revenge for his father’s death. Hamlet was published in the early sixteen hundred’s, and after that there has been a lot of storylines of movies, books, and TV shows that are derived from the play. One of the most similar pieces of work to Hamlet is The Godfather the movie directed by Francis Ford Coppola in 1972.Read MoreHow Does Shakespeare Use Conflict in Hamlet as a Way of Exploring Ideas?2520 Words   |  11 PagesHow does Shakespeare use conflict in Hamlet as a way of exploring ideas? An individuals response to conditions of internal and external conflict is explored throughout literature. In his play, Hamlet, Shakespeare delves into the themes of appearance versus reality, lies versus deceit, rejection versus self doubt and tragedy, and in doing so attacks the frivolous state of humanity in contemporary society. In order to explore these themes, however, he uses several forms of conflict to project hisRead MoreEssay on William Shakespeares Hamlet2393 Words   |  10 PagesWilliam Shakespeares Hamlet There are enough conceptions, and thus misconceptions, about the melancholy Dane to fill volumes. However, while none of them has proved entirely acceptable, some of them, such as the diagnoses that Hamlet simply â€Å"procrastinates† or â€Å"cannot make up his mind† prove utterly unsatisfactory under careful scrutiny of the play and, perhaps more importantly, Hamlet himself. Indeed, it appears as if there are certain points in the play in which Hamlet comes to reversals asRead MoreEssay The Thought Process of Shakespeares Hamlet4082 Words   |  17 PagesThe Thought Process of Shakespeares Hamlet If Hamlet from himself be taen away, And when hes not himself does wrong Laertes, Then Hamlet does it not, Hamlet denies it. Who does it then? His madness. Ift be so, Hamlet is of the faction that is wrongd; His madness is poor Hamlets enemy. (V.ii.230-235) Hamlets self-description in his apology to Laertes, delivered in the appropriately distanced and divided third-person, explicitly fingers the greatest antagonist of the play†¹consciousness