The realm of revenge often warps the mental state of characters, leading them to enact vengeance regardless of the repercussions which may permeate their world. In Shakespeare’s renowned play “Hamlet,” the main character, Prince Hamlet, is conflicted between his quest to adhere to his private passion, in regards to his eagerness to avenge his father’s death, and his need to avoid neglecting his responsibilities towards his loved ones. Further, the effects of vengeance are illustrated by Medea, the main character in Euripides’ play “Medea,” who allowed her passion for revenge to supersede her duties to her children. Despite the numerous forms of retaliation, this brutalized world is one that ceaselessly dilutes the minds of characters, leaving them ravenous for revenge and oblivious towards any repercussions. Shakespeare …show more content…
This spectre, which states that it has come from Purgatory, tells Prince Hamlet that Claudius, brother of the King Hamlet, murdered his brother by pouring poison down the ear of King Hamlet amidst the king’s usual nap in his orchard. This news appals and motivates Prince Hamlet to avenge the cruel acts of King Claudius. His newfound impetus is evidenced by the fact that once the Ghost asks for Hamlet to kill Claudius, and avoid harming his mind or his mother, the prince firmly asserts “So, uncle, there you are. Now to my word; It is 'Adieu, adieu! remember me. ' I have sworn 't.” (Act I Scene V) This made the quest of avenging King Hamlet’s death the passion of Hamlet as he was galvanized by his personal regard of his father, and his disdain towards Claudius. Thus, the requests of the ghost were simply basis to enact the passion which Hamlet had unknowingly concealed within his heart after the death of his father. However, the collision between passion and responsibility came about due to the manner in which Hamlet sought to seek vengeance. Unlike his foils, Laertes and Fortinbras, who are
How do we define reason as just? When asked this question, it really makes you begin to wonder how to depict what one might think is just. In the story of Medea, reason is what drives many of the characters actions. For example, the reason that Jason leaves Medea for Creon's daughter is for his own benefit. Is that just? Medea then kills Creon and his daughter for revenge against Jason. Is that just?.
In Euripides play, Medea the Character of Medes fit the Aristotelian Arc of character development because the arc state that a character must be of a high social standing. His or her actions must fit with that standing, and last the must be humanistic and relatable." Behavior must be in keeping with their social rank, and consistent Protagonist must be a person of high rank or stature We must be able to identify with them – we must recognize we ourselves would do the same in a similar situation" [Darbey slide2].
During the first act, Prince Hamlet meets the ghost of his father, King Hamlet. His father's ghost tells Hamlet that Claudius poured poison in his ear while he slept. The spirit also explains that he wishes for Hamlet to avenge his death, but not to punish Queen Gertrude for marrying Claudius. He tells Hamlet that she will have to answer to her conscience, and eventually God for her incestuous actions (absoluteshakespeare.com 1 of 4). It was believed during these times that when a person died, especially in such a tragic fashion, that their spirit lingered about while suffering in Purgatory. This could cause a normally virtuous person's spirit to become filled with malevolence and begin to meddle in living men's affairs (en.wikipedia.org 4 of 9). This belief caused Prince Hamlet to want to investigate his father's spirit's claims to ensure that they were indeed true. In order to do this, Prince Hamlet feigns madness in order to remain hidden from members of the court's suspicions while he plots his revenge on King Claudius (www.sparknotes.com 1 of 3). He also takes advantage of a group of actors who come to Elsinore Castle to perform by rewriting a play to recreate the scene of his father's murder. He does this with the hope of flushing a confession out of Claudius' guilty conscience. When Claudius sees the play, he stands up and leaves the room (en.wikipedia.org 5 of 9). After many more events, Claudius' guilt becomes more obvious. Claudius then begins to change his focus towards killing Hamlet, as he is beginning to become aware of the Prince's plans to kill him. Claudius then arranges a fencing match between Hamlet and Polonius' son Laertes and has Laertes poison the blade of one of his swords to be used in the match (Hamlet).
In the play, The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark by William Shakespeare claims that an act of revenge leads to madness and insanity. Shakespeare’s claim holds true today because nowadays there are real life events cases that affected every adults and teenager and even little kids. These tragedies and nightmares are all caused by the single act of revenge. In today society, you are accountable for what you do and responsibility plays are a big role in our environment. In the play, Shakespeare proved his claim by using the character Hamlet, who is destined to take vengeance for his father’s death and eventually turns into an insane person. His actions lead to the insanity of others characters and affect them physically and mentally.
In Euripides' play Medea, the maddened main character, Medea, reveals how betrayal can significantly change a person. Medea's actions, appearance, statements, and what others have to say about her display these alterations. Medea displays a lot of different emotions throughout the play. She becomes full of hatred and hostility after being refused by her husband. Not only did this change her, but Medea took a turn for the worse after being banished.
In 2014, the National Theater, a non-profit theater in London, United Kingdom produced a new adaptation of Euripides’s Medea ("Medea"). The production took place at the Olivier Theater and was also recorded for broadcast as part of the National Theater’s National Theater Live series. This production was directed by Carrie Cracknell and the set was designed by Tom Scutt, and the script for this new adaption was written by Ben Power ("Medea"). Medea was played by actress Helen McCrory and Jason was played by Danny Sapani. The story of Medea is still relevant and provocative to modern audiences as it forces audiences to relate to seemingly incomprehensible acts of violence and confront within themselves our own possibility for such acts. Design
An anti-hero is the protagonist of a story who lacks some attributes almost always present in a hero, such as selflessness and mercy. Where the hero will save the antagonist at the end of the story if such an opportunity presents itself, the anti-hero will most likely leave his or her foe to rot and choose to forgo saving the life of an enemy. The anti-hero might go as far as to hasten the humiliation or death of said enemy to further her or his own agenda. In Euripides’ play, Medea, Medea shows aspects of an anti-hero in how she deals with her problems, such as manipulating others to save her own skin, cursing those who have wronged her and destroying them, and scarcely ever displaying heroic characteristics such as mercy and sympathy; even as she takes Jason’s only hope for solace away.
The Evil Character Medea in Euripides' Medea. Euripides created a two-headed character in this classic tragedy. Medea begins her marriage as the ideal loving wife who sacrificed much for her husband's safety. At the peak of the reading, she becomes a murderous villain that demands respect and even some sympathy.
Furthermore, it is possible to propose that Shakespeare merely uses this scene to provoke irritation and consequently suspense from the audience. If Hamlet wasn’t given this opportunity to kill Claudius we would have not this insight into Hamlet’s indecisiveness, possible cowardice and inability to kill Claudius in cold blood. It is probable to suggest that through this soliloquy we are shown that Hamlet’s initial passion for revenge after the Ghost’s visitation has faded as the play progresses to merely thinking about killing Claudius.
In the story The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, by Shakespeare Hamlets father is killed for some unknown reason. Hamlet wanted to find out who would do such a thing. In the play there were many tragedies that occurred thought-out the play. All these tragedies occur because Hamlet decides to wait until he gets his revenge. There was a single event that caused more tragedies to occur as we progress thought the play.
Revenge to some people is an unnecessary act because it often times leaves one feeling guilty while also not solving any problems. In Medea’s case however, revenge seems to be the only option. In the play Medea, Euripides tells a tale about an intelligent and feisty woman who has been shamefully wronged by her husband. Jason has taken another wife into his home and isn't fazed when his father-in-law requests for Medea and their children to be banished. Throughout the play however, Medea seems to be anything but sympathetic to the whole situation along with those affected by it. She’s utterly abhorrent while she threatens everyone's lives in the palace, kills her husbands new wife, and worst of all during the execution her children.
In this scene, Hamlet is beckoned by a ghost, who later is revealed to be the ghost of Hamlet Senior. Hamlet listens as the ghost explains to him the details of his’ death. The ghost reveals to Hamlet that he was murdered by none other than Claudius! This sends Hamlet into a passionate rage and he again delivers a soliloquy, where his intentions are revealed. He states that “I, with wings as swift as meditation or the thoughts of love, [will ] sweep to my revenge” (1.5.33-35). This immense passion that Hamlet is feeling contradicts reason because reason would cause Hamlet to contact law enforcement and usurp his uncle from the throne, rather than taking justice into his own hands, and therefore becoming a murderer
Hamlet is one of Shakespeare’s most well-known tragedies. At first glance, it holds all of the common occurrences in a revenge tragedy which include plotting, ghosts, and madness, but its complexity as a story far transcends its functionality as a revenge tragedy. Revenge tragedies are often closely tied to the real or feigned madness in the play. Hamlet is such a complex revenge tragedy because there truly is a question about the sanity of the main character Prince Hamlet. Interestingly enough, this deepens the psychology of his character and affects the way that the revenge tragedy takes place. An evaluation of Hamlet’s actions and words over the course of the play can be determined to see that his ‘outsider’ outlook on society, coupled with his innate tendency to over-think his actions, leads to an unfocused mission of vengeance that brings about not only his own death, but also the unnecessary deaths of nearly all of the other main characters in the revenge tragedy.
Medea is a tragedy of a woman who feels that her husband has betrayed her with another woman and the jealousy that consumes her. She is the protagonist who arouses sympathy and admiration because of how her desperate situation is. I thought I was going to feel sorry for Medea, but that quickly changed as soon as I saw her true colors. I understand that her emotions were all over the place. First, she was angry, then cold and conniving. The lower she sinks the more terrible revenge she wants to reap on Jason.
Medea was a very diverse character who possesses several characteristics which were unlike the average woman during her time. As a result of these characteristics she was treated differently by members of the society. Media was a different woman for several reasons; she possessed super natural powers , she was manipulative, vindictive, and she was driven by revenge. The life that Medea lived and the situations she encountered, (one could say) were partly responsible for these characteristics and her actions.