Justice for Hamlet in William Shakespeares Hamlet - Essay Example

Justice for Hamlet in William Shakespeare's Hamlet. Hamlet was written by William Shakespeare. It is a tragic play about Prince Hamlet, who struggles with his conscience to exert justice for his father, the former King Hamlet's murder. This essay discusses the topic of justice, injustice and revenge in Hamlet. Act 1, Scene 1 begins with the appearance of former King Hamlet's ghost. Horatio says that it walks the earth because it knows Denmark's fate or it has a secret to reveal. This is preparation to cast doubt upon the circumstances on the old King Hamlet's death. When Hamlet first appears in this play in Act 1, Scene 2, he in reference to King Claudius; 'A little more than kin, and less than kind.' He refers to the stepfather relationship with King Claudius who has married his widow mother so soon after his father's death. Hamlet thinks that this rush is unkind of his uncle. He also refers to the usurping of his throne because Hamlet is the Crown Prince and rightful heir to the throne after his father's death. As Hamlet deludes to the facts of the case, he reveals he feels the injustice of King Claudius' actions. Hamlet makes a soliloquy which includes his views of his mother; 'O, God! a beast, that wants discourse of reason, Would have mourn'd longer--married with my uncle, My father's brother, but no more like my father Than I to Hercules: within a month: Ere yet the salt of most unrighteous tears Had left the flushing in her galled eyes, She married. O, most wicked speed, to post With such dexterity to incestuous sheets!' (Act 1. Scene 2). Hamlet says that his mother, Queen Gertrude, has married his uncle who is unlike his father and unworthy. She remarried within a month and does not give sufficient time for mourning to be over. Hamlet feels the injustice that his mother has done to his deceased father and himself. He considers the union of his mother and her brother-in-law incestuous. That is another injustice that weighs on his mind. In Act 1, Scene 5, Hamlet meets and talks with his father's ghost, who reveals to him that he has been murdered by Hamlet's uncle, Claudius. The Ghost says; 'So art thou to revenge, when thou shalt hear.' It assumes that Hamlet will take revenge. It tells Hamlet that Claudius murdered the former King Hamlet and what it thinks are the injustices of Claudius and Gertrude. Barnet says that; 'Conscience, which permits passive disobedience, forbids murder, and thus makes cowards of some revengers.' (Barnet 234) This is shown in Hamlet's famous soliloquy when he debates with his conscience on whether to let things as they are or to take action to seek justice. Hamlet says; 'To be, or not to be: that is the question: Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, And by opposing end them.....' (Act 3. Scene 1). Hamlet's conscience interferes with his desire for justice. He cannot kill King Claudius while he is praying. Barnet says that; 'When Hamlet differentiates revenge from hire and salary (Act 3. Scene 3. Line 79), he specifies the gap between vengeance and justice. Revenge is always in excess of justice.' (Barnet 234). In Act 3, Scene 3, Hamlet wants to kill King Claudius while he is praying but he changes his mind because he thinks that being killed while praying will surely send the soul into Heaven. Hamlet does not desire that his uncle Claudius should be accepted into Heaven so he forgoes this opportunity. His conscience does not allow him to kill a defenseless man. Hamlet thinks that to do justice by his father, King Claudius should not be allowed redemption and enter Heaven. Killing for the sake of killing without considering the true meaning of revenge would not be real revenge but is 'hire and salary'. Hamlet means that a mercenary kills mindlessly without considering the goal of exacting true revenge. Hamlet may seem like a coward because he is afraid of the judgment of Heaven if he kills King Claudius while he is praying. I agree with Barnet. While killing Claudius might be justice in terms of avenging the former king Hamlet's life, Hamlet desires to go further than justice by taking precautions that Claudius should not be allowed into Heaven. Hamlet thinks of seeking revenge. Barnet says that Hamlet's revenge has political and moral issues at stake. (Barnet 236). King Claudius has done at least three great misdeeds. He has killed the former King Hamlet, married his widow Gertrude, crowned himself King and robbed Hamlet of his chance to become the new King by his birthright. All these wrongs have political and moral issues. Hamlet reasons that Claudius should be killed before he does more evil. If Hamlet acts in the interest of saving mankind from Claudius' persecution, then he is doing justice. King Claudius is the real criminal who has escaped justice until he plots to kill Hamlet again in Act 5, Scene 2. When Laertes realizes that both Hamlet and himself are to die after being infected by the poisoned sword, he confesses to Hamlet about King Claudius' treason against him and asks for forgiveness. Hamlet, being a just Prince, grants him forgiveness. Hamlet realizes that Laertes has been served justice by being inflicted by the poison from his own sword. Hamlet immediately wounds King Claudius with the same poisoned blade. Laertes confirms that Hamlet has done justice for Hamlet and himself. Laertes does not blame Hamlet for his father Polonius' death because he knows that Polonius was hiding behind the curtain while serving as King Claudius' spy. He blames King Claudius for all the evil. Justice is served when King Claudius dies before Hamlet. The succession of the crown goes to Hamlet by his birthright. Although Hamlet is but King of Denmark for a few minutes, he has obtained his justice. Hamlet dies, saying that he will join Laertes. Hamlet places himself in a different category as his mother, Queen Gertrude and King Claudius. He does not follow them in death because they are guilty in life because of the incestuous marriage and King Claudius has been an unjust ruler and murderer several times over. Horatio hints that he may drink the unfinished poisoned wine in the cup but Hamlet oversees his intention and finishes the poison himself instead. Hamlet serves justice upon himself by voluntarily drinking the poison. He chooses to appease his mother by sharing in the same cup of poison. Hamlet calls upon Heaven to have the cup when Horatio wants it for himself. Hamlet thinks he will go to heaven because he thinks himself innocent. Hamlet dies as a just King who has paved the way for his successor, Prince Fortinbras, to inherit his throne. It is significant that Hamlet, in his dying moments, does not talk about revenge. Rosenberg says that since Hamlet returns poison for poison, to King Claudius, he has sought justice and not revenge. (Rosenberg 639). Hamlet does this again when he sees that his mother drank the poison meant for him. He gives her justice by drinking from the same cup that was meant for him. Hamlet does not gloat over his justice nor revenge. Hamlet honors justice. He desires that Horatio should live to tell his story when he says; 'Thou livest; report me and my cause aright To the unsatisfied.' (Act 5. Scene 2. Lines 170-171). When Prince Fortinbras is heard to arrive, Hamlet voices his desire that Horatio should tell the Prince the correct version of the story of the multiple deaths. Horatio redeems Hamlet by honoring him as a just King post-humorously when he speaks to Prince Fortinbras about Hamlet's honor; 'Not from his mouth, Had it the ability of life to thank you: He never gave commandment for their death. (Act 5. Scene 2. Lines 214-16). Hamlet has been a just Prince whose hand was forced to act when his father's ghost recounts the number of injustices the former King Hamlet suffered. Hamlet has his justice with the deaths of Claudius and Gertrude. He gets justice by being King of Denmark because when Claudius died, he succeeded by birthright. The end. Works Cited. Barnet, Sylvan. The Tragedy of Hamlet Prince of Denmark By William Shakespeare. USA: Signet Classic, 1998. Rosenberg, Marvin. The Masks of Hamlet. USA: University of Delaware Press, 1992. The Literature Network. "William Shakespeare". Hamlet. 2000. The Literature Newtork. 1 Apr. 2007. < http://www.online-literature.com/shakespeare/hamlet/ >. Read More