He sows murder and deceit in the name of vengeance, but, ironically, is himself deceived and then murdered by a similar character to himself as an act of revenge. Hamlet, the hero and representation of humanity, is thus tempted similarly through his blindness towards wrong doing. Man's continual struggle with morals has been a classic example used in stories ever since the beginning of history. In Hamlet, Shakespeare illustrates the theme of man facing consequences for misdeeds, strongly reinforcing a sense of 'reaping what is sowed'. Hamlet Themes - Immorality and Consequences We then see how a person who is mad or depressed, may begin to contemplate suicide, as a final escape from confusion, as is the case with Ophelia. In Hamlet, Ophelia turns to madness when she can no longer tolerate the confusion all around her and the turmoil of her own mind. Madness can be a state of mind a person enters when unable, or unwilling, to tolerate real life anymore. And relationships are ruined between Hamlet and most of the characters because of the web of lies strung around each character. Things turn against Claudius, the new King, who is the first to deceive the people around him, and in the end he pays very dearly for it too. Two of the character's lives are taken in the play purely because of a lie. Shakespeare demonstrates direct and very harsh consequences to deception throughout Hamlet. Hamlet illustrates the dangerous influences that deception can have on relationships and family trust. Inevitably, this path leads not only to his own death but the death of his family, the woman he loves, and ultimately the destruction of the throne of Denmark.ĭeception is a large aspect of Hamlet, as every character is very seriously affected by it in one form or another. In Shakespeare's Hamlet, the hero is the representation of society and mankind, blinded by a lust for revenge which steers him down the path of evil. Is revenge always sweet or is it, as in the case of Hamlet, a bittersweet affair attained at a high price? But in Hamlet Shakespeare challenges common beliefs about revenge. 'Revenge is Sweet'? Well, according to many movies and television shows, revenge is indeed very sweet. Films and novels are often based entirely around the heroic figure's quest for revenge, while newspapers portray stories of vengeance such as wars, law suits and murder. The media constantly bombards society with depictions of supposedly 'sweet' revenge.

Modern day society is obsessed with a belief in revenge. Hamlet's fierce desire to avenge his father's murder is what drives the play. The theme most prominent in Hamlet is revenge.

Hamlet theme