...Men and Vengeance… and Women “ Hamlet is one of the most dangerous things ever set down on paper. All the big, unknowable questions like what it is to be a human being; the difference between sanity and insanity; the meaning of life and death; what’s real and not real. All these subjects can literally drive you mad.” Michael Sheen One of the most celebrated Shakespearean plays, Hamlet , follows the tragic downfall of a young Prince Hamlet as he plummets into depression and apparent insanity after the death of his father. Consequently, Hamlet’s uncle, Claudius, inherits the throne and marries the widowed Queen Gertrude. When Hamlet has the opportunity to converse with his dead father’s spirit, Hamlet learns that his father was murdered by his brother, Claudius; hearing this, Hamlet devotes himself to requiting retribution on his uncle. In many of Shakespeare’s plays, it is a common theme that the quest for revenge drives one to insanity. Not only does Hamlet follow this trend, it introduces that men in Hamlet are the ones to seek vengeance upon others while bringing women down along with them, supporting Shakespeare’s usual portrayal of women as scapegoats. In Shakespeare’s play, Hamlet, it is generally the male characters that tend to take action and seek revenge upon others, due to the cultural sexism during Shakespeare’s time of writing. In many of his plays, Shakespeare usually has men in focus, most likely because of the ...
Words: 1426 - Pages: 6
...Prompt #3: Complete Chaos In many Shakespeare plays involving a tragic figure, due to multiple inherent personality traits, the illy fated character inevitably dooms their future to destruction. Often times everyday people will not doom themselves to self destruction because of flawed personality traits but may bring much misfortune on themselves. As the story unfolds, in an attempt to seek vengeance for his father, suffocated by his own flaws such as his obsession with revenge, confusion on the meaning of life, and procrastination in taking action, Hamlet dooms himself to the misfortune of self destruction. Often times, in outrage people will seek revenge and occasionally become obsessed with the idea, much like Hamlet did. Hamlet was overcome with anger when he discovered his father's murderer; in all his frustration and bitterness he became infatuated with the idea of revenge, surrendering to insanity, and eventually leading himself to self destruction. While contemplating a decision Hamlet debates with himself, “Now might I do it pat. Now he is a-praying. And now I’ll do ’t. And so he goes to heaven. And so am I revenged.—That would be scanned. A villain kills my father, and, for that, I, his sole son, do this same villain send to heaven. Oh, this is hire and salary, not revenge”(3.3.74-80). This reveals his insanity to me because he is investing far too much thought into it his deed. I think that Hamlet so desperately wishes his uncle pure misery that he believes...
Words: 852 - Pages: 4
...1) What three universal questions are touched upon in the Epic of Gilgamesh? Answer: History tells us that the Mesopotamian people believed that the afterlife held no joy or happiness, only eternal distraught. The story of Gilgamesh is one that touched questions that are still asked today. 1. Does everything a person has accomplished in their lifetime mean nothing once they are dead? 2. Is there an actual point or goal of a human’s life? 3. If there is, by what means can a person gain understanding as to why they are alive. 2) List the six characteristics of civilized societies and of civilizations. According to the text in order for a society to be considered civilized they have to possess certain characteristics such as: 1. They have to appear to have an urban lifestyle which includes the building of permanent housing. 2. A structure of government that has made conformities to political relations. 3. The development of diverse social classes that have different sets of standards from one another by two or more features and these features should be assets and profession. 4. Equipments as well as people with particular skills that allow this society to produce goods and all allow for an increase in manufacturing and trading. 5. Some type of written communication that would allow their society to distribute and maintain information so that it can be passed down to later generations. 6. A system of religious beliefs that is...
Words: 1094 - Pages: 5
...However, the noble origins of the quest mean very little in the end as “the road to Hell is paved with good intentions” (St. Bernard Clairvaux). Just as his creation does, Frankenstein falls from grace and takes up the quest of Satan. After the murder of his bride and subsequent death of his father, Victor gives in to the darkness, until “revenge alone endow[s] [him] with strength and composure” (Shelley 140). He vows vengeance, promising the object of his rage torture and death (Shelley 142), just as the Creature had done so many years before (Shelley 116). It is through the similarities between these two, creator and creation, that the author reveals the disturbing nature of humanity, for in the end it is hard to tell with certainty which...
Words: 256 - Pages: 2
...shows up soon after. Hester will not tell anyone the father’s identity, so her husband becomes determined to find the father and punish him. While anger and hatred can sometimes be justified, Roger Chillingworth sells his soul to the devil to exact his vengeance on Dimmesdale. This consumes him, but he ultimately redeems himself only after Dimmesdale dies,...
Words: 1262 - Pages: 6
...The Count of Monte Cristo 1) Three ethical issues revealed in the film are vengeance, mercy and honesty. Each is interwoven throughout the film to develop characters and the plot. Once Edmond Dantes is innocently placed in prison, he believes his future consists of one action: vengeance. He must punish those who have hurt him such as Fernand Mondego and Monsieur De Villefort. As he suffers in prison, he rejects the idea of God and mercy inscribed on the prison wall, and lets his hatred and need for revenge overwhelm his soul. Once he is taken under the wing of Priest, this need for vengeance begins to slowly fade away, as evident in his decision not to kill Jacopo during the knife fight. However, his need for vengeance always simmers, such as when he becomes wealthy by finding vast amounts of gold and is asked what he wants to buy, and he replies “revenge”. He also takes small measures of emotional vengeance when he denies his identity to Mercedes, when he won’t let Villefort kill himself and when he places the pawn in the chest for Mondego to find. His decision to offer mercy to Mondego at the end almost costs Mercedes her life, as she is shot by a fleeing Mondego. But, in the end, he realizes Priest and Mercedes were correct and it is best to give mercy to one’s enemies. With the themes of vengeance and mercy, the theme of honesty is also experienced throughout the movie. Villefort lies about the murder charges against Dantes, which causes his father to commit suicide...
Words: 1357 - Pages: 6
...A paramount theme that is displayed throughout the entire story of Hamlet is an individual's quest for vengeance. One example is Laertes seeking revenge on Hamlet for the death of his father. King Claudius was a major influence in the way Laertes seeked out retribution by leveraging him to take action for his own benefit. The king believed that Hamlet was a threat to not only his marriage but also his throne. Therefore he manipulated Laertes into using his hatred and drive to eliminate any risk of his downfall. Of course, Hamlet was another character that showed the theme of revenge but in a more hesitant way. After learning of the true cause of his father's death, Hamlet waits a total of 2 months before finally acting upon his wishes to avenge...
Words: 311 - Pages: 2
...Many themes shown in the book “Frankenstein” are good representations of life lessons. One theme is, “the quest for knowledge can lead to a dangerous path to follow.” Victor uses his genus ability and his thirst for knowledge to create a monster that ultimately uses his power to destroy Victor’s life. The monster requests another creature’s creation of his kind, and when Victor refuses, the monster seeks vengeance on his creator. During this hunt for revenge that the monster partakes in, many deaths occur and Victor begins to realize he made a huge mistake. In chapter 5, Victor creates a monster because he is intrigued by the capability and knowledge of his learning abilities. Victor portrays a canny personality and one of the only desires...
Words: 502 - Pages: 3
...ideals reflect themselves in a variety of ways. Things like companions and quest are still important to the people, but their ideals change. The ideals of the Germanic peoples of Northern Europe drastically change as Christianity moves across the region, and their archetypes reflect this change of character in the culture. In Beowulf, Beowulf and his companions express the heritage based Germanic Ideal of Comitatus or "loyalty to king and companions". Before fighting...
Words: 977 - Pages: 4
...ILLUSTRATION OF JUSTICE AND VENGENANCE IN CHOEPHORI (THE LIBATION- BEARERS) ‘The Choephori’ (the libation – bearers) is the second of the three linked tragedies which make up “The Oresteia” trilogy written by the ancient Greek playwright Aeschylus, preceded by “Agamemnon” and followed by “The Eumenides”. The trilogy as a whole, originally performed at the annual Dionysia festival in Athens in 458 BCE, where it won first prize, is considered to be Aeschylus’ last authenticated, and also his greatest, work. “The Libation Bearers” deals with the reunion of Agamemnon's children, Electra and Orestes, and their revenge as they kill Clytemnestra and Aegisthus in a new chapter of the curse of the House of Atreus. Some years after the murder of Agamemnon, Clytemnestra (who now shares both her bed and the throne of Argos with her lover, Aegisthus) has a nightmare about giving birth to a snake which then feeds from her breast and draws blood along with milk. Concerned at the possible wrath of the gods, she orders her daughter, Electra (now reduced to the virtual status of a slave-girl) and the Chorus of slave women - the libation bearers of the title - to pour libations on Agamemnon's grave as an offering to the gods. The Chorus, captives from old wars and loyal to Orestes and Electra, are strongly opposed to Clytemnestra and Aegisthus, and they play a crucial part in explaining the unfolding conspiracy. At her father’s grave, Electra meets her recently returned brother Orestes (who had...
Words: 2081 - Pages: 9
...Brett Stewart The Quest for Utopia An individual’s quest for utopia can also be described as searching for an ideal. In the search for an ideal we look for our desire and perfection in life. The quest for utopia is examined through literature to find out what the ideal is and how it’s obtained or lost. The characters analyzed in this essay strive for perfection, success, and vengeance through their obstacles. The quest for the ideal is important because it shapes imagination, creativity, and lifestyle. Henry A. Kissinger explains where an ideal can be found, when he concludes, “For other nations, utopia is a blessed past never to be recovered; for [some people] it is just beyond the horizon.” Kissinger describes that for some, their ideal is in the past and others it’s in the future. The three pieces of literature examined in this essay are analyzed through Kissinger’s theory. In literature the quest for the ideal can often result in the pursuer’s death, this is shown in “The Great Gatsby,” “Sailing to Byzantium,” and “Hamlet.” Gatsby’s ambition to turn back time and fall in love with Daisy again, ultimately leads him to his downfall. Gatsby wanted to turn time back because Daisy and him were once deeply in love, however after Gatsby left for war she was doubtful he would return. Daisy found a more secure relationship with Tom Buchanan and Gatsby’s new ideal was to fulfill the American Dream and win Daisy over. However the American Dream has no room for love and...
Words: 952 - Pages: 4
... The battle of the in-laws serves as the collapse of grace for the Dane. [transition sentence to the second topic] Grendel’s mother fogs up the clarity of whether the heroic society is indeed heroic or villainous. The Germanic society believes in the vengeance code, yet it is shown that this code is not extended to the monsters. Grendel’s mother wants to “avenge her kinsman’s death,” as the Germanic society does when one of their own is killed and the death-price must be kept (Norton, 45n5; Beowulf, 1340]). However, Hrothgar asks for Beowulf’s help in “settling the feud,” and Beowulf accepts the plea (Beowulf, 1380). By asking for help against a monster that followed the wergild, Hrothgar is showing that the Danes’ society limits the man-price to those who are human, and not supernatural. The death-price, although supposedly for all, only applies to the Germanics. Their restriction of the wergild to only themselves demonstrates their selfishness. Furthermore, Beowulf’s quest for honor shrouds his understanding of the vengeance code, thus removing him from his heroic pedestal and placing him on the midline of hero and villain. The fight against Grendel’s mother shows the lack of compassion of the Danes and Geats in their quest to obliterate a culture. When Beowulf returns from killing Grendel’s mother and Grendel, he returns a sword-hilt as a prize for Hrothgar, however the sword-hilt has a story of “how war first came into the world” and how the giants “suffered a terrible...
Words: 1847 - Pages: 8
...The act Of revenge In Edgar Allan Poe's "A Cask of Amontillado" we learn of a man who seeks vengeance on an acquaintance, named Fortunato. "The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as I best could, but when he ventured upon insult I vowed revenge." (14) The story starts by defining a grudge that Montresor holds against Fortunato, and then goes on to explain that Montresor seeks vengeance in an impunitistic way. He Leads Fortunato deep into his family's catacomb on a quest for a sherry known as Amontillado, Montresor's idea of plastering Fortunato into a brick wall quickly becomes a reality. Once ensnared, Fortunato was left to die. His tomb was left untouched for years to come. We learn in the story that revenge is a dish best served cold. The theme of revenge in the story is strongly advised. The story begins with Montresor explaining the he has been irreparably insulted. Every time he sees his wrong doer he acts as if there is no grudge held, when in reality Fortunato's insult is all but forgotten. Montresor lives as if there has been no wrong doing, until he ponders up what he feels is the perfect impunitistic act of revenge. "I must not only punish but punish with impunity. A wrong is unredressed when retribution overtakes its redresser. It is equally unredressed when the avenger fails to make himself felt as such to him who has done the wrong." (14) Once his plan has been thought of as an act of impunity Montresor acts. Leading Fortunato away from the carnival...
Words: 775 - Pages: 4
...and his quest to conquer France under the reign of Charles VI of France. According to the History article (“Battle of Agincourt”), it details Henry’s life leading up to and following the Battle of Agincourt in the year 1415. From the very beginning, the Chorus portrays Henry as a glorious King who is about to engage in an epic and glorifying battle with the French. However, the Chorus then reveals that the play will not be as heroic and godly as initially envisioned. This is because there is a shortage in the resources necessary to depict this great spectacle, and it is instead the audience’s responsibility...
Words: 1739 - Pages: 7
...Kenny Dort Mr. Kalina English 4 College Prep 12 March 2015 Avengers in Arms Revenge is a common motivation for characters in a story. In Hamlet by William Shakespeare it is a motivation for the characters Hamlet, Laertes, and Fortinbras. In the play all three characters lose their fathers in by acts of murder, which causes the characters to want get vengence on those responsible. Having different personalities the audience gets to see different approaches and outcomes to the same situation by the three characteres. By the end of the story they are characters who ultimately reach their goals in similar but different ways as avengers. First looking at the character Hamlet, the audience can see a change of the character throughout the play, because of this it allows the audience to think about the character state of mind, based on the actions he takes throughout the play. At the beginning of the play we see that Hamlet is very saddened by the sudden loss of his father, only to find out after meeting the ghost of his father that his death was not a cause of age but murder, which was committed by the new king who has taken power, his uncle Claudius “ The serpent that did sting thy father's life Now wears his crown.” ( Shakespeare I.v, 7). Gaining this information from the ghost of his father we see where Hamlet wants to avenge his father which is proven by his soliloquy, “ that one may smile and smile and be a villain” (Shakespeare I.v, 63), “ now to my word...” ( Shakespeare...
Words: 1432 - Pages: 6
