Hamlet
In Shakespeare's Hamlet, the theme of betrayal is a major focus of the play. All the characters turn their backs on one another at some point in the play; this leads to misjudgements, lying, characters being un loyal to one another and untruthful as well as acting out of pure rage rather than using logical thought to think things through. The act of lying to one another, being un loyal and plotting each other's own deaths, lead all the characters to their eventual downfall and death.Betrayal usually associates itself with the aspect of death in Shakespeare's plays and in Hamlet's case, this is no exception. There are many examples to this. First Gertrude, Hamlet's mother married Hamlet's uncle Claudius after only three months of his father's death. This not only showed disloyalty towards Hamlet Jr. and his father, but it could also be seen as being disloyal and betrayal towards the people of Denmark by not showing any respect. Never would one imagine that she would betray someone like that. In Hamlet, there are several references to an unweeded garden, one that grows to seed things that are rank and gross in nature. This ties into betrayal because gardens are seen to be nice places with beautiful flowers, not weeds that grow and
(IV iv 25)But Hamlet is not the only one who is betraying others. With hamlet's mind set on the murder of his king as revenge, his own false judgement and act out of rage caused Polonius his life. Hamlet ignored Ophelia and lashed out at her which caused her to go mad and end up drowning herself. Though he had just reason for doing so, Claudius is not only his king but also a member of his family. One web of lies led to another and led to a collapse in everyone's judgement and character. Many other innocent characters like Polonius and Laertes also died as a direct result of this betrayal bug in Hamlet. Being un loyal links itself to betrayal but it also reaches beyond actual betrayal itself. Betrayal also made Hamlet think before he acted which is why he hesitated a lot before he actually went ahead and killed Claudius. He contemplates whether or not killing for the sake of revenge would do any good or whether him killing would just be stooping down to Claudius's level. As in their birth, wherein they are not guilty, (Since nature cannot choose his origin) By the o'ergrowth of some complexion oft breaking down the pales and forts of reason, Or by some habit, that too much o'er-leavens the form of plausive manners, that these men, Carrying, I say, the stamp of one defect, Being nature's livery, or fortune's star, his virtues else be they as pure as grace, ss infinite as man may undergo, Shall in the general censure take corruption from that particular fault: the dram of eale doth all the noble substance of a doubt to his own scandal. With everything that is going on and everyone unaware of the terrible fait that everyone would soon encounter, everyone continued along with their business until the final day when everything would come crumbling down. Two thousand souls and twenty thousand ducats will not debate the question of this straw: This is the imposthume of much wealth and peace, That inward breaks, and shows no cause without why the man dies. Exchange forgiveness with me, noble Hamlet: Mine and my father's death come not upon thee, nor thine on me! (V ii 17)But what he had said is after the fact and by then, it is too late. By listening in on Hamlet's conversation with his mother, his own scheming ways to seek out the truth caused unnecessary trouble that resulted in his very own death.
Common topics in this essay:
Hamlet Hamlet,
Gertrude Hamlet's,
Hamlet Jr,
Shakespeare's Hamlet,
Rosencrantz Guildnstern,
Hamlet Characters,
Claudius Hamlet,
Guildnstern Friends,
Hamlet Lying,
Affront Ophelia,
un loyal,
father's death,
claudius hamlet,
downfall death,
friends rosencrantz guildnstern,
plotting other's,
lead characters,
gertrude hamlet's,
hamlet's mother,
other's own,
own deaths,
eventual downfall death,
own deaths lead,
other's own deaths,
plotting other's own,
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Acceptance Essays
