To what extent is Hamlet a Revenge

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Nargis Shaikh

To what extent is Hamlet a Revenge Tragedy?  In what ways does it help to consider it as such and what do we miss by considering it only as a Revenge Tragedy?

          Revenge Tragedy was a genre which lasted from 1590 until 1615. The genre appealed to the Elizabethan audience’s desire for blood and violence without emotional depth.

          Revenge tragedies originated in the writings of the Roman Seneca (4BC-AD65) whose plays heavily influenced Elizabethan dramatists. Seneca’s tragedies, using stories derived from mythology emphasised bloody action, horrific incidents and ranting speeches. The devices Seneca used in his tragedies were later imitated by Elizabethan playwrights. These included the five act structure, the appearance of ghosts, the one–line exchange known as stichomythia and Seneca’s use of long rhetorical speeches. English revenge tragedies written in the Elizabethan era began with ‘The Spanish Tragedy’ written by Thomas Kyd, in which a father, Hieronomo, avenges a son. The father delays the revenge in passionate outbursts near to madness.

          According to the accepted characteristics, revenge tragedies should have included ghosts or supernatural beings, violence, sex, bloodthirsty revenge for family honour and bloody carnage. Most revenge tragedies end in a bloodbath killing off all the main characters apart from the loyal best friend. Hamlet’s complex plot is advanced, compared with most revenge tragedies as it included subplots. It uses many of the typical themes of a Revenge Tragedy in order to get points across. The play has depth to it making the impact of revenge felt deeply by the audience. The audience is able to empathize with Hamlet and look at the ethics of revenge.

           ‘Hamlet’ follows these main conventions meticulously. However, the differences are interesting. Hamlet delays the whole process of revenge, and this is more subtle than Kyd’s 'Spanish Tragedy.'

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          Bernard Lott believes that 'when Hamlet's speeches are straightened out the evident complications of phraseology and syntax remain to sense reflection of the inner turmoil in his soul'. This is clearly shown in Hamlets 'To be or not to be' soliloquy. Soliloquies in general show characters’ innermost emotions and are frequently used in revenge tragedies. Shakespeare uses speech to reflect characters’ roles and status; superior figures such as Hamlet speak in verse, whereas characters with less significance to the play speak in prose. This dramatic effect raises ‘Hamlet’ above the typical Revenge Tragedy.

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