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Revenge Tragedy In Hamlet

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The classic revenge tragedy is one way to describe Shakespeare’s greatest play Hamlet. The story is driven by a reprisal catastrophe lead by the main character, Hamlet. Over the course of the story, readers see that Hamlet is mulling over requital as opposed to demanding it. Hamlet’s powerlessness to vindicate the murder of his beloved father, king Hamlet, is what keeps the story running and prompts the demises of a large portion of the characters in the story, including Polonius, Rosencrantz, Guildenstern, Laertes, Gertrude, Claudius, and himself. In Hamlet, there is no justification for revenge because evil consumes the protagonist and leads to the downfall of everyone around Hamlet, including himself.
The first clue readers receive about the revenge plot is when the ghost of King Hamlet is being introduced to Hamlet. The ghost reveals to Hamlet that it is Claudius, who poisons the king Hamlet in his sleep: “'Tis given out that, sleeping in my orchard, / A serpent stung me; so, the whole ear of Denmark/ Is by a forged process of my death/ Rankly abused: but know, thou noble youth, / The serpent that did sting thy father's life/ Now wears his crown” (I.i.35-40). In the following quote, the ghost informs Hamlet that Claudius, the one who wears his crown, is the one who poisons king Hamlet as he sleeps in his orchard. Before explaining who killed Hamlets father, the ghost then encourages him to take revenge for his father’s unfair death. The Ghost informs Hamlet that it is his obligation to take revenge over his father’s death: "So art thou to revenge, when thou shalt hear"(I.i.8). It is Hamlets duty to avenge the death of the king as he is the Prince of Denmark. Further, the Ghost continues to deliver his message about the revenge: "Revenge his foul and most unnatural murder" (I.i.25). The Ghost is implying that if Hamlet loves his father then he will get the kingdom and kill Claudius. The Ghost is the starting point of the revenge plot; however, Hamlet is trying to justify the revenge by finding proof against Claudius. Although, Hamlet is talking to the Ghost, he is yet to completely believe that it is his father’s spirit. Critic Bradley states “Hamlet was restrained by the conscience or a moral scruple; he

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