Greed In Hamlet

In Hamlet, a play by William Shakespeare, the driving forces seem, at first glance, to be greed and revenge. But if one delves more deeply, one will find motives other than these. If one asks oneself what is the main reason for revenge in the play they will find that there is a woman at the core of it. In the beginning of the play the audience learns that the king has died and later discovers that it was his brother Claudius who killed him. Besides his hunger for the crown, what else might have motivated him to kill his brother? The answer is the queen, whom he married barely a month after her husband's death. The king himself admits this in his prayer, saying, "Of those effects for which I did the murder, my crown, mine own ambition, and

When she dies Laertes blames Hamlet, thinking that Ophelia killed herself over what she thought was her unrequited love for Hamlet. When Gertrude speaks of Hamlet at Ophelia's grave site Laertes angrily retorts, "O treble woe, fall ten times treble on that cursed head. Whose wicked deed they most ingenious sense deprived thee of"(V.i.244-246). When Hamlet steps forward and identifies himself Laertes attacks him, screaming "The devil take they soul"(V.i.257)! Hamlet's own ire is aroused by Laertes’ vicious words and insinuations that Hamlet cared nothing for Ophelia and suffers not over her death. "Why, I will fight with him upon this theme Until my eyelids will no longer wag"(V.i.268-269). Hamlet cried out. "I lov'd Opehlia: forty thousand brothers could not, with all their quantity of love, make up my sum. What wilt thou do for her"(V.i.270-272)? So, Ophelia's death turned these two friends against each other and also, along with the death of his father, made Laertes vulnerable to Claudius' influence when he convinces Laertes to kill

We cannot say for sure if Hamlet would or would not have killed Claudius that day if his mother hadn't died, but whatever Hamlet's plan was, it was discarded in the instant he discovered Gertrude poisoned. He had enough anger and jealousy burning in him to make him want to kill Claudius and enough chances during the play to do it, but always refrains, even though he knows that if he does not kill Claudius, then Claudius will certainly see him dead. It is not until his dear mother is poisoned by Claudius' hand that his sanity really snaps and all of his pain, anger, and grief are let loose as he rams Claudius through with the poisoned sword and then forces the rest of the poisoned drink down his throat, crying "Here, thou incestuous murd'rous, damned Dane, Drink off this potion. Is thy union here? Follow my