this paper provides an intrinsic analysis of the theme of revenge as explored by Shakespeare and Hurston

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Revenge

Introduction

In most literary works, authors lay great emphasis on the ability to relay vital information to the audience. To attain this, different approaches are employed to ensure that the required standards are attained without compromising the quality of work. In order to develop the plot in an effective manner and at the same time be able to deliver the expected quality, authors employ themes and styles. In his Hamlet, Shakespeare succeeds in exploring a host of themes that augment each other towards the development of the plot.

One of the themes that assume a central position in his study is the theme of revenge. Notably, all activities revolve around this and Hamlet employs it in satisfying his anger. Likewise, Hurston’s Spunk explores the theme of revenge and makes it central to his plot. Just like Hamlet, Hurston pursues revenge to satisfy his anger. Notably, the theme of revenge is equally useful in the development to this plot. It is in this consideration that this paper provides an intrinsic analysis of the theme of revenge as explored by Shakespeare and Hurston.

Revenge is a painful and emotional feeling that compromises the ability of an individual to pursue rational thought. It is characterized by “immense feelings of hatred that are also spiteful as well as anger” (Bone 144). By undermining the ability of an individual to think effectively and be in position to make informed decisions, revenge always influences an individual to carry out activities that have grave implications. Just like Hamlet, Joe pursues revenge even after his death. Notably, the inherent strong feelings and urge compel an individual to pursue the desired activity and fulfill the same under any circumstances. Essentially, it is posited that “an individual cannot be able to experience peaceful feelings without having fulfilled his plans for revenge” (Bone 144). As it will come out from the study, the protagonists go to extreme lengths to satisfy their anger by pursuing revenge.

In Hamlet, revenge is an integral theme as it influences the activities that are assumed by the main character. To begin with, it is certain that the ghost of Hamlet’s father urges him to pursue revenge against King Claudius. It advices him to “revenge his foul and most unnatural murder” (Shakespeare 51). The ghost further tells him “The serpent that did sting thy father’s life now wears his crown” (Shakespeare 53). This ascertains that King Claudius indeed murdered his brother, King Hamlet and took over his throne. The ghost of King Hamlet continues to taunt Hamlet by informing him that the honor of any man is to have the capacity to avenge his death. Coupled with the anger he had for his mother marrying King Claudius too soon, Hamlet accepts to avenge King Hamlet’s death.

In order to pursue this without raising any suspicions, Hamlet decides to feign madness. His revenge has far reaching implications on the life of several individuals who get hurt despite not participating in any way in King Hamlet’s death. In particular, Hamlet’s plot to revenge his father’s death has adverse effects on his girlfriend, Ophelia. His feigning of madness makes him to treat her in a shocking manner. Not only does he call her a whore but he also fails to reciprocate her love, regardless of the fact that she loved him whole heartedly (Perry 88).

Coupled with the death of her father, this harsh and unfair treatment makes her to run mad and eventually commit suicide. Even after this, Hamlet still believes “ This is most brave, That I, the son of a dear father murder’d, prompted to my revenge by heaven and hell, must like a whore, unpack my heart with words” (Shakespeare 93). In this regard, it is certain that Hamlet does not care about the adverse implications that his actions had on other people. He stays put to satisfy his urge of revenging the death of his father.

His need for revenge drives him to have Claudius tried in court in order to test his innocence with respect to killing King Hamlet. In this regard, it is certain that Hamlet was following the instructions given by his father’s ghost. In particular, Perry indicates that his “test was meant to provide a sign that would be instrumental in proving the ghost’s message” (56). The King’s outburst gives Hamlet a chance to insult his mother about her infidelity. Hamlet later mistakes Polonius who had hidden behind a rug for King Claudius and stabs the rag with a dagger. Again, the resultant physical and emotional turmoil can be accredited to the vengeful feelings of Hamlet.

Notably, Hamlet despises Claudius so much that he abandons his plan to kill him while he is praying on the premise that he would possibly go to heaven as opposed to hell. He cites “Now he is praying…a villain kills my father and for that, I, his sole son, do this same villain send to heaven” (Shakespeare 68). In this respect, it can be posited that Hamlet believed that by exercising, he would be able to kill Claudius and send him to hell.

The theme of revenge is also inherent in the duel that Laertes and Hamlet engage in on return from England. Before this, Hamlet takes measures to apologize for his past activities and blames his madness for the murder of Rosencrantz and Guildenstem who had accompanied him to England. In this scenario, it is certain that Laertes is also working under the influence of anger and hatred for Hamlet. In this regard, it can be argued that he had ulterior motives to kill Hamlet for his selfish interests.

Nevertheless, he accepts the apologies and promises to maintain honor. Thus he informs Hamlet “I am satisfied in nature, whose motives in this case should stir me most to my revenge; but in terms of honor I stand aloof … I do receive your offered love like love and will not wrong it” (Shakespeare, line 319). Despite this, he goes ahead to choose a sword that is poisoned. During the fight, the swords get swapped and he is also stabbed with poison. When his mother dies from drinking poisoned wine and he is also informed that he would die because of the poisoned sword, Hamlet finalizes his plans for revenge by forcing the king to drink the wine too. He yells “Here, thou incestuous, murd’rous, damned Dane, Drink off this potion. Is thy union here? Follow my mother.” (Bullough 88).

In his Spunk, Hurston also explores the theme of revenge and employs this in the development of his plot. This revenge is undertaken by a supernatural power that is angered about the infidelity of its former wife. On realization that his wife was having an extra marital affair with Spunk, Joe Kanty takes measures to kill the former. It is indicated that “ Joe came out there wid a meat axe an’ made me kill him” (Bone 144). However, as indicated, he instead gets killed and his wife has a chance to marry Spunk whom she had fallen in love with. Notably, the population expects Lena to find to marry again as it is exemplified by the author, “The women ate heartily of the funeral baked meats and wondered who would be Lena’s next’ (Hurston 8). Since they had been in love for a significant period of time, it is certain that Lena had already accepted Spunk as her husband even before the death of Joe Kanty.

Women in this society are portrayed as adulterate beasts that pursue relative behaviors that hurt their husbands. Unlike in Hamlet, Joe has the ability to pursue revenge even after his death. According to Gates and Lemke, this is a clear indication that vengeful feelings were hurtful even to the death. It is a symbol of the gravity of pursuing revenge. Essentially, the relative hateful feelings enslave an individual and make it difficult for the same to experience peace even in the world of the spirit. In this respect, it is indicated that “Now Joe knew his wife had passed that way. He knew that the men lounging in the general store had seen her, moreover, he know that the men knew he knew” (Chidi 184) This implies that Joe was angered by the fact that his wife would marry Spunk, a person he knew very well and interacted with on a daily basis.

This can be used to explain why the spirits of the dead in both instances decide to return. It is posited that since they had bitter feelings at the time of their death, they are restless and find it difficult to enjoy the peace that is characteristic of the spirit world. In his analysis, Bone ascertains that Joe could not have had any peace of mind in the spirit world because of the fact that he did not only have a painful death but he also died while cursing. This clarifies the presumption that the protagonist experienced immense physical as well as emotional pain. The immense physical pain can be attributed to the nature of death that he succumbed to. On the other hand, the emotional pain stems from the vengeful feelings that he had for Spunk.

Joe’s return to haunt Spunk made his (Spunk’s) life miserable and one that was devoid of peace. In this condition, he does not exhibit ill feelings for his wife but rather pursues Spunk whom he believed could not have married his wife. Thus at this point of time, it is certain that his anger is directed towards Spunk whom he believed had influenced his wife in to the relationship. Notably, a similar scenario is exhibited in Hamlet. Beside the ghost of King Hamlet indicating that his wife is “an adulterous beast” (Shakespeare (32), it does not take any measures beyond this. It instructs his son to pursue King Claudius instead and kill him in order to secure his honor.

By assuming the form of a huge back cat, it is certain that Joe’s spirit is angry and would therefore go to extreme lengths to pursue its revenge. From a historical point of view, a black cat was a representation of evil spirits. In addition, it was a symbol of a bad omen in conventional societies and as therefore avoided in all instances. Perhaps this can be used to explain why Spunk was frightened at its sight. In this respect, Neale cites “But Spunk says twan’t no bob-cat nohow. He says it was Joe done sneaked back from hell!” (Neale 19). The fact that Spunk believed that Joe was in hell indicates that he was aware that Joe was pursuing him to satisfy his revenge.

Conclusion

Revenge is a bitter feeling that compels an individual to pursue certain activities in anger. This clouds the ability of the individual to base the inherent activities on a rational thought and informed decisions. Thus in most instances, revenge culminates in adverse effects and hurts other individuals, regardless of the fact that they would not have directly offended the pursuant. This is inherent in Hamlet when individuals such as Polonius and his daughter Ophelia succumb to death as a result of Hamlet’s bitter feelings and relative activities. Fundamentally, the theme of revenge is employed by both Hurston in Spunk and Shakespeare in Hamlet to develop their respective plot. From the preceding analysis, it is certain that revenge had far reaching implications on the welfare of both the protagonist and the target individuals.

In Hamlet, this contributes significantly to the downfall of Hamlet who wanted to revenge against Claudius. It not only leads to the death of his mother, but to his painful demise too. Most importantly, it can be implicated for the death of Claudius who is forced to drink the poisoned wine. In spunk, the urge for revenge leads to the death of the Joe as he attempts to kill Spunk. Nevertheless, he comes back in form of a spirit and succeeds in killing Spunk. At this point, it can be concluded that the theme of revenge has been successfully employed by both authors to develop their plot.

Works Cited

Bone, Robert. “Zora Hurston.” In Down Home: Origins of the Afro-American Short Story. Columbia: University Press, 1988, pp. 144-5.

Bullough, Geofrey. Major Tragedies in Hamlet. Columbia: University Press, 1993.

Chidi, Ikonne. From Du Bois to Van Vechten: The Early New Negro Literature, 1903-1926, Contributions in African-American and African Studies 60. USA: Greenwood, 1981.

Gates, Louis & Sieglinde, Lemke. Introduction to The Complete Stories. USA: HarperCollins, 1995, pp. xiv-xv.

Hurston, Neale. Mules and Men. USA: Harper & Row, 1990, pp. 2, 19

Perry, Margaret.“The Short Story.” In Silence to the Drums: A Survey of the Literature of the Harlem Renaissance. USA: Greenwood Press, 1986.

Shakespeare, William. Hamlet. The Riverside Shakespeare. USA: Houghton, 1974.