Hamlet

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Shakespeare is the author of the play Hamlet. The plot of Hamlet is centered on Prince Hamlet. Prince Hamlet is a thoughtful and analytical character who deals with depression and at times even goes completely mad. He enters into a deep melancholy during the play. Prince Hamlet has a desire to avenge his father’s death, but does not rapidly act on his thoughts of murder. Claudius and Gertrude are two other characters in the play who are concerned about Prince Hamlet’s odd behaviors. Therefore, they find a couple of Prince Hamlet’s friends, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, to keep a close watch on him. The play is set on a dark winter night in Denmark. Claudius, the brother of King Hamlet, has just taken the throne and married Queen Gertrude who was King Hamlet’s wife. A ghost is seen by a couple of watchmen and then by a scholar named Horatio. The ghost is thought to be King Hamlet. Prince Hamlet is brought to meet the ghost at Elsinore Castle in Denmark. The ghost identifies himself as King Hamlet and tells Prince Hamlet he was murdered by Claudius. The ghost wants Prince Hamlet to obtain revenge on Claudius for taking his throne and wife. Now, the stage is set for Prince Hamlet to find out answers and make decisions regarding seeking revenge on behalf of his dead father.
Prince Hamlet wants to find out if Claudius is guilty of murdering his father. Therefore, he creates a play where the performers do a scene which resembles the way in which Prince Hamlet believes his father Hamlet was murdered. Claudius jumps up and leaves the room when the play gets to the point of the murder. Horatio and Prince Hamlet both believe this makes Claudius appear guilty. However, when Prince Hamlet goes to kill Claudius, he is prayin...

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...nish prince who has an uncle who murders to receive his father’s throne. A ghost of his father reveals the truth which ultimately causes many more deaths through the act of revenge. The prince is uncertain and not quick to take action to murder his uncle; however, once all doubt is gone the prince kills to get revenge. The end of the play would suggest the prince was morally correct in seeking revenge because he was treated and regarded in his own death with honor. However, the play and the writing of Shakespeare in Hamlet reveal the consequences of going after revenge. Once the path began, many people died. In all reality, at the end of Hamlet it is not apparent that actual justice has been served.

Works Cited

Roberts, Edgar V. and Zweig, Robert. Literature An Introduction to Reading and Writing 5th Ed. Glenview: Pearson Education, Inc., 2012. Print.

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