The Cycle of Justice and Revenge: The Cask of Amontillado

When Hamlet finds out that his uncle murdered his father, who stole his wife and his crown, he has an instant urge to get revenge for the murderer who committed this foul act; “ Haste me to know’t, that meditation or the thoughts of love/ may sweep to my revenge” (1.5.30-32). This justified Hamlet’s feelings. One would agree that his revenge is morally right, although murder is wrong. The seriousness of Claudius’ crime grows when one contemplates that all deaths throughout the play would not have happened if Claudius did not kill his brother. Although the act of murdering someone is wrong; the seriousness of Claudius crime grows when one contemplates that all the deaths would not have happened if Claudius did not kill the king.

When planning for revenge, a person has to know and expect it boomerang. Usually the attempts to hurt people because of the wrongs they commit to them end up having far much worse outcomes even for the avenger. This is clearly brought out in Othello through Iago and what he faces after his revengeful acts against Othello. Othello, who is a noble hero, is also brought down as a result of revenge. The revengeful nature has to be conquered and tamed if man is to proceed in life, acts of forgiveness and love must instead replace the urge to avenge a misdeed.

We never know exactly why Montressor despised Fortunato so much, but we do know that he held a grudge against him. Montressor, in his opinion, has endured many injuries from Fortunato, but when he insults him, it crosses the line. This is a story of premeditated murder told by the murderer himself. Montressor has a detailed plan to murder Fortunato and he goes to great lengths to plot his revenge. He wants to make it look like his intentions are honorable and he is upholding his family’s motto, "nemo me impune lacessit,” which means, no one "cuts" (attacks) me with impunity.

By going into excruciating detail of his murder, it pulls on the heart strings of Hamlet. It lights a fire in him to become his father's avenger. Don Andrea's detailed description of his soul's passage in the underworld, he wants help is plotting for appropriate revenge. He wishes to seek revenge against his murder, causing the eternal separation of he and his "worthy dame" (1.1.10), Bel-imperia by "forcing divorce betwixt my love and me...When I was slain, my soul descended straight,/ To pass the flowing stream of Acheron"(14, 18-19). According to Clark, "Ghosts were thought to appear before...to exact justice, to revenge a foul deed" (100).

The murder of Polonius by Hamlet brings gives yet another son a motif to seek revenge on his father’s murderer. Polonius like Hamlet lets his feelings govern his decisions and does away with his reason. Laertes decides to avenge his fathers death in a dual with Hamlet in which both get poisoned by the same sword and are killed. Their rage and anger led influenced their decisions up until this point and even though both managed to avenge their father’s deaths, they both ended facing the consequence which is death. Fortinbras having obeyed his uncle and holding back his rage and anger saved himself from the consequences of revenge.

The obsession and need for revenge displayed by our two main characters eventually led them both to their downfall. Not only did it hurt themselves, but many others close to them. Ophelia’s death, for example could be blamed on Hamlet’s desire for revenge, whilst Hamlets death occurred as a result of Laertes quest to avenge his father’s death. Hopefully, it is easy to see why I believe that revenge is the core theme in Shakespeare’s Hamlet. Revenge shapes the entire plot of the play and could be blamed for corrupting Hamlet and Laertes, making them almost evil in their final intentions.

The Literature Network Jalic Inc. 2000-2014. Web. 25 March. 2014. Poe, Edgar Allan.

N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Feb. 2014. Poe, Edgar Allan. "Spirits Of The Dead."

This is evident in the following statement in the opening paragraph of the story, “The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as I best could; but when he ventured upon insult, I vowed revenge” (Poe 7). Therefore, it is apparent to the reader from the onset of the story that revenge is a major driving force for Montresor for him to dreadfully murder his acquaintance,... ... middle of paper ... ...evertheless, the portrayal of revenge differs in the manner of execution, as seen in Montresor’s eagerness for revenge against Fortunato, while Hamlet is hesitant to avenge his father’s death even after he learns that Claudius committed the murder. In addition, the motivation for revenge is different in the short story and the play; Montresor is motivated by the injury he’s suffered due to his friend’s insults, which is a motivation not as substantial as Hamlet’s, in the death of his father. Despite these differences, both Montresor and Hamlet are controlled by vengeance, though Hamlet is more thoughtful and reasonable, thus his life ends in honor. Works Cited Poe, Edgar Allan.

The start of the unfortunate event is when the king is brutally murder. Cluadius seemed to bring curse a pawn everyone around him. By the murder of Hamlet's father he was determined to avenge his death. Hamlet now had to avenge the death of his father and end the incestuous acts between a twisted uncle and mother. "He kills Polonius by accident, hoping that in a blind thrust through ther arras he might turn out at last to have dispatched the King..."(Murray pg131) Some may think that Hamlet let his emotions take over his actions in avenging his fathers' death , but Ophelia and Laertes also lots a father and they too acted like out of control.