Hamlet: Revenge
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deaths. The deaths that took place played a very important role in the
unfolding of the play. In reading this play the reader can almost guess who was
going to die.
A prince named Hamlet is the main character. Hamlet is a college
student who one day planned to take over the throne in Denmark, but treachery
would spoil all of Hamlet's plans. The King, Hamlet's father, was found dead in
an orchard where he spent much of his time. All of the King's subjects,
including Hamlet, thought his majesty died because of a snake bite. Hamlet was
devastated when he learned of his father's death, but what made him more uneasy
was the fact that Gertrude, Hamlet's mother, remarried so quickly to the brother
of the dead King. The brother would be the one who would betray Hamlet.
Horatio, a loyal friend to Hamlet, was on night watch outside the castle,
he told the prince of an incident when they saw an apparition who resembled
King Hamlet. Hamlet came out the next night hoping to see the ghost. Sure
enough, the ghost appeared and called to Hamlet, wanting to speak with him. The
spirit talked about how Claudius poisoned the King while he was sleeping, "Tis
given out that, sleeping in my orchard,/ a serpent stung me² (1.5, 36) but it
was not a snake that the ghost is referring to. The spirit wanted the prince to
avenge his murder.
All was quiet in the kingdom until the start of Hamlet's supposed
insanity. The Prince was with his mother talking when the prince noticed
someone in the room. Hamlet thought it was Claudius, "How now? A rat? Dead
for a ducat, dead! " (3.4,25) Indeed Hamlet killed someone; but it was not
Claudius, twas Polonius who was slain.
Time had gone by and supposedly...
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