Revenge in Hamlet and Frankenstein
William Shakespeare’s play Hamlet and Mary Shelley’s novel Frankenstein are both about revenge the enemy, while the two novels may seem Hamlet and Victor Frankenstein fight for the people they loved. But important contrast in the attitude of revenge, Hamlet is very confuse revenge or not. But Victor never thought not kill the monster.
Through its description of the characters, Hamlet and Frankenstein, who have different attitudes to the fact their loved people have died, it is suggested Prince Hamlet only focuses on revenging his uncle Claudius While Frankenstein Victor wants to stop the act of killing innocent people, but chasing on the monster until his death. Prince Hamlet full of despair and grief to love and life. Since Hamlet knows the truth about his father’s death, he begin treat Ophelia ruthless. At the beginning, old Hamlet was alive, Hamlet love Ophelia deeply.
We can see from the letter wrote from Hamlet to Ophelia “ doubt thou the star are fire, doubt that the sun doth move, doubt truth to be a liar, but never doubt I love. ” (2. 2. 115-118) When Hamlet back, he realized Ophelia already dead, he finally breaking down “ What is he whose grief bears such an emphasis, whose phrase of sorrow conjures the wand’ring stars, and make them stand like wonder-wounded hearers? This is I, Hamlet of Dane. ”(5. 1. 245-249) I love Ophelia. Forty thousand brothers could not, with all their quantity of love. (5. 1. 58-259) We can see from here Hamlet love Ophelia so much, why he keeping hurting Ophelia with rude attitude and hurtful language? Why Hamlet doesn’t tell Ophelia truth? I think maybe he has own trouble, maybe he doesn’t want Ophelia turns into this tragedy. Even though she knows the all things, she can’ t help Hamlet anymore, it will increase the risk of revenge. Another reason why Hamlet can’t continue keep romantic relationship with Ophelia because has to revenge, which is not appropriate to have romantic relationship Old hamlet also makes important affect to prince Hamlet.
Claudius killed Old hamlet, it is the beginning of prince Hamlet get grief. At same time, his life is totally changed. He is not a child anymore, he force grown up to a man. When Hamlet knows the truth about his father’s death. He swears he will revenge his uncle, because his uncle uses poison murdered old Hamlet. “O most pernicious woman! O villain, villain, smiling damned villain! (1. 5. 105-106) “So uncle, there you are. ”(1. 5. 111). Hamlet is suffering, “ To be or not to be” (3. 1. 7) exactly shows that his confuse and grief. Hamlet done many considering of the process of revenge, cause that considering, he lose many opportunities can kill Claudius. If he makes decision decisive, maybe Ophelia wouldn’t die. Hamlet love his father deeply, “ he was a man. Take him all in all. I shall not look upon his like again” because of this love, he felt he doesn’t believe anyone, everyone in this world is against to him. It feels like he is the only man alive in this world. He is lonely.
No one can understand his sad. He haunted by his father’s loss, we can see from “ my father-methinks I see my father, O where my lord? In my mind’s eye, Horatio. (1. 2. 185-187) Old Hamlet appears in his mind, the memory of Old Hamlet makes Hamlet feels grief. After his family and friends are killed by his creature, he feels guilty and blames himself everyday. He has the responsibility end of killing, because he created the monster. His guilty and blames force him chasing on the monster.
He has nothing to confuse, he only got one choice, which is kill the monster. Many people died for Victor’s creature. Victor can’t feels monster pity anymore, because he kills many innocent people, this is all because of him. Finally, Victor and monster both died. To summarize, these two tragedies has lots of similarities and differences, there are a thousand Hamlets in a thousand people’s eyes. While Frankenstein and his creature both very pity. The monster try to live with human, join this society. But he can’t.
