vengeance

• In Hamlet, the codes of conduct are largely defined by religion and

  an aristocratic code that demands honor—and revenge if honor

  has been soiled. As the play unfolds and Hamlet (in keeping

  with his country’s spoken and unspoken) rules) seeks revenge

  for his father’s murder, he begins to realize just how complicated vengeance, justice, and honor all truly are.
• As Hamlet begins considering what it would mean to actually

  get revenge—to actually commit murder—he begins waffling

  and languishing in indecision and inaction. His inability to act,

  however, is not necessarily a mark of cowardice or fear—rather,

  as the play progresses, Hamlet is forced to reckon very

  seriously with what retribution and violence in the name of

  retroactively reclaiming “honor” or glory actually accomplishes.
• Because the idea of a revenge killing runs counter to the very tenets of

  Christian goodness and charity at the core of Hamlet’s upbringing—regardless of whether or not he believes them on a personal level—he begins to see the artifice upon which all social codes are built.
• As Hamlet pursues his society’s ingrained ideals of honor, he discovers that perhaps honor means something very different than what he’s been raised to believe it does—and confronts the full weight of society’s arbitrary, outdated expectations and demands.
• Revenge causes someone to act blindly through anger, rather than having a reason.
• Hamlet's desire for revenge leads him down a path of madness and destruction.
• The theme of revenge highlights the destructive nature of holding onto grudges and seeking revenge.
• It also shows how revenge can consume one's thoughts and emotions, leading to mental instability.
• In Shakespearean times, revenge was seen as an acceptable way to restore justice and maintain societal norms.