Theme Of Sin In Hamlet - 1956 Words

When King Hamlet’s ghost tells Prince Hamlet that he was murdered by his ruthless brother, Claudius, he commands the prince to avenge â€Å"his foul and most unnatural murder† (1.5.25). Hamlet chooses to obey the ghost and seek vengeance, rather than justice. William Shakespeare uses Hamlet (appx. 1599) as an example of the nature and consequences of sin in the world, which is highlighted by five specific themes; one per each act. The first act’s theme is the actual â€Å"Fall† itself, while the second’s is acting and spying. The third act’s theme is guilt, the fourth’s is deception and madness, and lastly, the fifth and final act’s theme is death. The theme, of sin, is â€Å"fully absorbed into the aesthetic DNA of imagery, language, and character.†¦show more content†¦Ã¢â‚¬Å"If thou didst ever thy dear father love†¦ Revenge his foul and most unnatural murder† (1.5.23-25). From the Fall grows a new sin; obsession. Hamlet begins to obsess over what to do, if the ghost is even real, and if revenge is even his to take. â€Å"What buckles under the pressure of the apparition is the notion of likeness†¦ that underwrites Hamlet’s recollection of his father, or, rather, the ratio or likeness and difference threatens to collapse.† (Greenblatt 192) Because of the original sin and the Fall, Hamlet is trapped. Claudius has â€Å"covered his tracks so well that he is vulnerable only to a secret revenge† and Hamlet believes that he must take it (Gilles 418) The second act of the play’s theme is repercussions of the Fall and broken trust. Prince Hamlet has devoted himself to plotting his father’s revenge, but after spending so much time on such difficult and contemplative issues, he has gone a bit â€Å"mad† (both literally and also, for show). His mother, Gertrude, and the new King, Claudius, begin to worry about his behavior. During this time, Polonius, a Lord, suggests that Hamlet is perhaps acting insane because he secretly desires his daughter, Ophelia, and is deeply in love with her. Claudius agrees to spy in on Hamlet and Ophelia as they are conversing to see if what Polonius has said is true and he deduces that Hamlet is mad, alright, but not with love for Ophelia; he orders her to a nunnery and even declares thatShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of William Shakespeare s Hamlet 903 Words   |  4 Pagesbeing wrong for something that he or she didn’t commit. It is based on the old saying ‘an eye for an eye principle’ and isn’t the best way to deal with conflicts, especially when it involves family members. In William Shakespeare’s play â€Å"Hamlet†, Laertes, Hamlet, and the younger Fortinbras all had thoughts of vengeance for the deaths of their fathers. Although they acted on their emotions, but their methods of doing so was entirely different. 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