Although he simply plans to put on an anti-disposition and eventually kill whom he believes to be the murderer of his father, Claudius. Being who Hamlet is, he tends to take his time to get things done, which is seen as his attempt to murder Claudius drags on throughout the play. As the play begins to get more climatic and King Claudius is still alive, Hamlet soon begins to lose his patience and cool. Getting eager to avenge his father, he begins to lose his original anti-disposition act and actually take on the
His morality is revealed when he questions Fortinbras’ motives – is it right to allow so many men to die when fighting for a worthless piece of land? Hamlet’s passion for revenge is resurrected by the sight of the troops and he vows to take action – ‘My thoughts be bloody or be nothing worth.’ The state of Denmark is in chaos (because the wrong king is on the throne) and this manifests itself through the mini rebellion on the castle with the return of Laertes. Laertes is Hamlet’s best foil in the play. Now that each of them has a father to avenge the contrast between the pair reaches its peak. Laertes has no time for thoughts or moral reflection; he is hard set on revenge.
Don Pedro and Don John are both deceivers but while Don Pedro’s deceptions come from his desire to bring the lovers together, Don John’s deceptions derive from jealousy and spite. Don John, being the main antagonist, is made to be born outside of wedlock. Modern audiences watching this play may not understand why his character is the outsider that he is but Elizabethan audiences would understand that children born out of wedlock were largely presumed to be naturally evil. This is apparent in the language that Don John’s character uses because he often uses words that connote violence and death when plotting with his followers, Conrade and Borachio, to sabotage Hero and Claudio’s marriage. When inquiring how he could do this Don John describes what he wants as ‘the death of this marriage’ and in reply Borachio, his accomplice, says they will ‘misuse the Prince’, ‘vex Claudio’, ‘undo Hero’ and ‘kill Leonato.’ Although their words are not literal and they’re not really going to ‘kill’ Leonato, using words such as ‘death’ give very negative connotations and make the character sound like the villain he is.
Hamlet faced himself with a painful loss and feels the betrayal towards his mother due to the reason that she married the murderer of her husband. Hamlets emotions start to change drastically due to the indecision of how to proceed his situation. Should he go towards revenge and fallow his duty as son or fallow his duties and expectations as Prince. Hamlet finds a way in which he could fallow his duty as son by killing Claudius in a manner in which he would not find fault in. Hamlet gathers evidence against Claudius and then has the right to comply with his revenge towards Claudius but also stays as Prince to fallow his responsibility.
No character is spared from this deception, and therefore, it stands as a key theme in the play, “Hamlet”. Behind everything else in this play, there is a constant awareness of the murderous nature of the king. He breached his brotherly trust by killing his brother, and deceived his country by lying about the “rank” deed. “The serpent that did sting thy father’s life now wears his crown”. The murder was driven by lust for the queen and also a desire for power, two factors which remain with the king until the final moments in the play.
Giles Fraser explains in his article that when Jo Berry wanted to seek revenge on Patrick Magee, the man who killed her father but reminds us that revenge is inflicting pain on others but only hurt ourselves. In King Lear Shakespeare makes it clear that Edmund is a Bastard, not just because the way he is born but the way he acts throughout the play. The audience understands the feeling you will get if you went to a party and your dad said “Oh, here is my son his mother is a harlot, but we had fun together so here he is” who would not be mad. Also with the bastard name that follows him, Edmund does retaliate with schemes states “Thou, Nature, art my goddess; to thy law, my service are bound. Wherefore should I, Stand in the plague of custom and permit, the curiosity of nations to deprive me,” (Shakespeare 1.2.1-4) so Edmund punish his father for the lack of respect he has gotten over the years.
Lastly, Pearl’s abandonment from her father and isolation from society brings about the evil she demonstrates. Arguably, the Puritanical conception of sin confuses these main characters’ knowledge of the nature of evil. Hester and Dimmesdale’s adultery leads to Chillingworth’s transformation into a sinister being as he attempts to impose Puritanical evil on them. For example, Chillingworth’s idea of evil, influenced by the Puritans, helps him decide how to punish the lovers explaining, "I [will leave] thee to the scarlet letter. If that [has] not avenged me, I can do no more!"
He therefore has to manipulate Edgar and Gloucester to “grow” and “prosper”. Edmund clearly has his own motives and looks to cause a family feud because of his own self interests. It shows his selfishness but also his desire to steal his fathers land from him Edmunds wickedness eventually turns Gloucester against the innocent Edgar, with a vengeance to have him killed. This would lead the audience to believe that Edmunds actions are evil and that his character personify’s the typical Machiavellian, crafty theatrical figure in the
When Hamlet realized what had been done to his father, he went into a rage, and swore that he would get immediate revenge on Claudius. The apparition of Hamlet’s father told him to “Revenge his foul and most unnatural murder.”, to which Hamlet agreed to take immediate action. “Haste me to know’t, that I, with wings as swift as meditation or the thoughts of love, may sweep to my revenge.”, said Hamlet, but throughout the course of the play, it is visible that Hamlet clearly did not stick to his words. Hamlet took his time plotting, sorting, and executing his schemes for revenge. He wanted to have everything sorted out, and be prepared for any consequences.
The lack of loyalty within the family is essentially what causes the state of Denmark to deteriorate so quickly. The significance of loyalty is reinforced by the fact that if Claudius had any loyalty to his brother, the dramatic chain of events that proceeded after the king’s death, leading to the death of many characters would never have eventuated. Firstly, Claudius shows disloyalty to his brother and king in killing him to become King, as the ghost tells Hamlet, “The serpent that did sting thy father’s life now wears his crown.” He is further unfaithful by marrying his brother’s wife in what is described as “an o’erhasty marriage.” This disloyalty had a significant effect on the state of Denmark, essentially commencing the chain of events that lead to there being “something rotten in the state Denmark.” If Denmark was “an unweeded garden,” Claudius betrayal of the crown was its roots. Gertrude also proves unfaithful to the king in marrying Claudius. The significance of this lack of loyalty is seen in its influence on Hamlet.