ENGLISH LITERATURE (CBSE/UGC NET)

FAMOUS PLAYWRIGHT POET AND OTHERS

HAMLET

Question [CLICK ON ANY CHOICE TO KNOW THE RIGHT ANSWER]
Hamlet is a revenge play.
A
True
B
False
C
Either A or B
D
None of the above
Explanation: 

Detailed explanation-1: -Hamlet is definitely one of the greatest revenge stories ever written and it was all influenced first by Sophocles, Euripides and other Greeks, and then more importantly by Seneca. Hamlet as well as The Spanish Tragedy tackled and conquered all areas that were required for the consummation of a great revenge tragedy.

Detailed explanation-2: -Hamlet is definitely a great example of a typical revenge tragedy of the Elizabethan theater era. It followed every convention required to classify it as a revenge play quite perfectly.

Detailed explanation-3: -Hamlet turns revenge tragedy on its head by taking away the usual obstacles to the hero’s vengeance. In a typical revenge tragedy like The Spanish Tragedy, the hero faces two obstacles: to find out who the murderers are, and then to get himself into a position where he can kill them.

Detailed explanation-4: -Hamlet also belongs to the genre of revenge tragedy in that it features a main character seeking to avenge a wrong against himself, but Shakespeare satirizes and modifies the genre in several ways.

Detailed explanation-5: -Shakespeare’s message about revenge in Hamlet is a complex one. In Hamlet’s case, he felt he had a moral obligation to avenge his father’s death. However, as Shakespeare demonstrates, the path of vengeance is a messy one with destructive repercussions and often takes many innocent lives in the process.

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