Revenge in “Hamlet”

The central focus of William Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” is revenge. Several characters pursue revenge in their own ways. The pursuit of vengeance leads the main characters in the play to tragic ends (Al-Ghammaz; Shakespeare). The lives of Hamlet, Laertes, and Fortinbras are shaped by the pursuit of revenge. Shakespeare illustrates revenge’s destructive power in “Hamlet” via Hamlet’s moral hesitancy and eventual demise, Laertes’s impetuous and self-destructive quest for vengeance, and Fortinbras’s more measured approach. The play seems to  indicate that revenge can only succeed when motivated by reason and restraint; otherwise, it leads to personal ruin and tragedy.

In “Hamlet,” the urge to get revenge adversely affects the protagonist, Hamlet, for whom the play is named. The internal battle Hamlet faces demonstrates the turmoil experienced by those seeking revenge. The ghost of Hamlet’s father reveals to him that Claudius murdered the king, which sends him on an endless quest to seek revenge. However, morality and his thoughts about his existence make him reluctant to pursue his revenge. In a famous soliloquy, Hamlet expresses his inner struggle by reflecting on how seeking revenge could impact his life after death (“To be, or not to be”) (Shakespeare 3.1.56-88). Hamlet’s moral values lead him to indecision and hesitation as he struggles to unite the act of killing Claudius with his inner principles. Hamlet’s lack of resolve causes events that worsen his pursuit of revenge against Claudius (Hussein). His pursuit of revenge against Claudius results in the death of Polonius, which causes Ophelia to spiral into madness, from which she never recovers and ultimately takes her own life. But since he is fixated on revenge, Hamlet fails to see his actions’ overall impact, thus weakening his moral sense and judgement during the play. The ethical downfall of Hamlet proves that revenge poisons not just the person who seeks retribution but extends its corruption to touch the people in their surroundings. Hamlet finally ends his revenge-driven quest too late since the act of killing Claudius happens in the final scene, after the tragic outcomes of his pursuit have become inevitable, adversely affecting nearly everyone around him.

Laertes’s desire to seek rapid revenge also plays a major role in advancing the play’s theme. Laertes opposes Hamlet’s unrelenting pursuit of vengeance. But immediately after losing his father, Polonius, Laertes makes his way back to Denmark with only one purpose, which is to execute revenge against Hamlet for the murder. As opposed to Hamlet, Laertes does not hesitate in his decisions. His intense anger and sadness ignite his dramatic actions, letting him overlook any negative effects. This rushed manner of acting becomes clear in how he swiftly agrees to join Claudius in planning a deadly duel with Hamlet using a poisoned sword (Al-Ghammaz; Shakespeare). Because Laertes does not exercise restraint against his bloodlust for revenge, he becomes an instrument for Claudius to execute his revenge plan. Laertes reflects on his life after being poisoned by his fatal sword when he realizes his mistakes before passing away. During his dying moments, Laertes acknowledges that Claudius is to blame for using his thirst for revenge to fulfill his destructive objectives (Shakespeare 5.2.361). Laertes grasps his error in the final moments of life without reversing the destructiveness of his impulsive revenge—the obsessive hunt for revenge by Laertes results in sorrow and demise. Thus, through Laertes, Shakespeare demonstrates how the blind pursuit of revenge ends in devastating results.

Contrary to approaches employed by Hamlet and Laertes, Fortinbras applies a different approach to revenge, where his methods are planned out and deliberate. Like both Laertes and Hamlet, Fortinbras wants to settle the score with the killers of his father, but he takes a carefully calculated path toward achieving this goal. He executes his vengeance through political alliances and military engagement, recovering property lost by his father during the war. Fortinbras executes rational and moral decision-making contrary to Hamlet’s hesitant vengeance and Laertes’ headlong vengeance, which leads them each to commit reckless acts (Al-Ghammaz; Hussein; Shakespeare). The play ends with Fortinbras taking over the Danish throne, spared the tragic fates that befell Hamlet, Claudius, and the royal court. Fortinbras stands out from Hamlet and Laertes as he manages to pursue his objectives by avoiding the destructive influence of revenge. Emotions do not control his actions, but resilience and focus characterize all he does. His actions demonstrate how revenge can coexist with exercising reasonable thinking and strategic planning—Fortinbras’s victory results from his politically astute moves while taking revenge against the enemy. Hence, according to Shakespeare, the only way to prevent the tragic nature of revenge is by replacing impulsive private retribution with strategy and calculation.

Shakespeare demonstrates the destructive power of revenge in Hamlet through Hamlet’s moral reluctant vengeance and Laertes’s rash and self-destructive vengeance. But Fortinbras’s more measured approach confirms that revenge can only be successful when driven by restraint and reason. In fact, perhaps what Laertes seeks is not vengeance, but justice. Certainly, in the form that it takes, this “vengeance” more closely resembles justice. Through Fortinbras’s controlled approach, the destructive power of vengeance becomes manageable through cautious behavior compared to the tragic paths Hamlet and Laertes choose in their vengeance. Ultimately, the play shows that revenge creates far more suffering than justice, or, at least, calmly calculated vengeance, which results in misery and devastation.

Works Cited

Al-Ghammaz, Saif Al Deen Lutfi Ali. “William J. Shakespeare’s Hamlet: An Analysis of Revenge Quest &Amp; Procrastination.” World Journal of English Language, vol. 13, no. 2, Feb. 2023, p. 317. doi.org/10.5430/wjel. v13n2p317.

Hussein, Afrah Sofi Abdul. “The Idea of Revenge in Shakespeare’s Hamlet.” International Journal of Humanities and Education Research, vol. 6, no. 2, Jan. 2024, pp. 84–88. doi.org/10.33545/26649799.2024.v6.i2b.94.

Shakespeare, William. Hamlet. Edited by Barbara A. Mowat and Paul Werstine, Folger Shakespeare Library, 2012.