Zach B.

Hamlet is a Play about the Philosophy of Revenge

Hamlet is a literary masterpiece about the war burden Denmark. The entire story takes

place at of a castle mostly. King Hamlet rules the entirity of this domain, up until he is

mysteriously killed and his brother, Cladius, fills in his spot as king and husband to Gertrude.

We folllow Hamlet throughout the play, seeing him go through pain and grief as his companions

try to comfort him and lead him towards the right path. We watch though a certain element snake

through the whole entire play at all times, and we learn from it. The philosophy of revenge and

how revenge leaves people empty handed and creates a cycle of pain is the whole purpose and

point of this play.

There are two characters in the play of Hamlet that are examples of the empty handed

cycle of revenge. Hamlet is obviously one of them. After he had his intervention with his dead

father, he became so hellbent into obtaining revenge. This revenge perpetuated into an intense

violent tone. There was a point in the play where Hamlet killed someone who didn’t relate to

their father’s death because He believed it was the man who killed his father instead. “How now,

a rat? Dead for a ducat, dead.” (3.4.171) As you can see, the cycle of revenge initated at this

point of the book for many people and kept Hamlet’s blood thirsty need for revenge still at bay.

This need kept boiling to when his own doing got himself killed just restore balance to his

father’s name and to Denmark also. “The potent poison quite o’ercrows my spirit. I cannot live

Burns 1
to hear the news of England. But I do prophesy th’ election lights on Fortinbras; he has my dying

voice.” (5.2.283). Hamlet went through all the trouble of killing a civilian to only end up empty

handed with himself then dying. Was this revenge really worth his own death just to seek

balance so he could cope with his father’s death? It wasn’t.

The other example that could be used is also a young man named Laertes. Polonius so

happened to be Laertes’s dad, so when he heard the news that Hamlet killed his dad, he feel into

the same hole that Hamlet went into, the hole of revenge. “And so have I a noble father lost, a

sister driven in desp’rate terms, whose worth, if praises may go back again, stood challenger on

mount of all the age for her perfections. But my revenge will come.” (4.7.225) As was Hamlet,

Laertes became deadset on avenging his father’s death. This mission also brought upton a early

death for Laertes tragically. “It is a poisoned tempered by himself. Exchange forgiveness with

me, noble Hamlet. Mine and my father’s death come not upon thee, nor thine on me.” (5.2.281)

Tragically, Laertes was another number in the pathway of Hamlet’s revenge and even his own

revenge for his father’s passing.

Burns 2
 Soundtrack to Hamlet:

Lasiurus. Hans Zimmer. This song is a melancholic song from the motion picture, Batman

Begins. It has a soft violin running through the song so I’d put this at the opening scene while

introducing Hamlet as he is depressed and griefing over his fathers recent death.

No Time for Caution. Hans Zimmer. This song is from the motion picture, Interstellar, which is

full of deep powerful scores. No Time for Caution has a organ and purcions playing the

background. This song would be fitting for the final scene with Hamlet’s and Laertes’s fight.

Requiem in D Minor. Mozart. From the infamous chorus to the violin, this song is screaming

Hamlet. Because of it’s dramatic feel, it would play during Hamlet’s play when he was trying to

illicit an reaction from Claudius.

S.T.A.Y. Hans Zimmer. This soft score from the motion picture, Interstellar is played when the

father is leaving his daughter to part on a mission that could take 100+ Earth years. This theme I

feel like fits the scene when Hamlet first meets his dad as a ghost. I’d expect the scene to be

saddening for Hamlet for he would be lost and not know what to do seeing his dad as a ghost.

Reprise. This Will Destroy You. This song has some kind of synth running through the whole

entire song giving it an irie and mysterious vibe. This song would match the vibe to Ophelia’s

funeral since Hamlet wasn’t expecting Ophelia to be the one being burried.

Burns 3
We Are One. Tony Anderson. This song has a very soft and on going piano that gives a hopeful

or inspirational vibe. The vibe I feel like would match the scene of Hamlet departing to the sea.

Corynorhinus. Hans Zimmer. This score is from the motion picture, Batman Begins. It starts off

with a melancholic piano then soft strings. It would be perfect for the credits or right after

Laertes and Hamlet’s duel.

Ballad of the Cats. C418. This is part of the Minecraft soundtrack. It is the Ambient music to the

Nether which is a depiction of Hell. This dark and creepy song would go will the park where

King Hamlet is killed in a flashback.

Anakin’s Dark Deeds. John Williams. This score from Revenge of the Sith is deep and dramatic.

The violin and trumpets make this perfect for Hamlet’s Duel or when he killed Polonius.

Lily’s Theme. Alexandre Deslpat. This score is from Harry Potter. It has a very saddening vocal

in the background that gives it a super depressing tone to it. This would be fitting for the credits

or when Hamlet dies.

Dumbledore’s Farwell. Nicholas Hooper. From the violens to the cello’s, the strings in this score

are beautiful and would go perfect with a death scene. This score would mostly likely fit

Ophelia’s funeral or her death scene.

Burns 4
Sextape. Deftones. My soundtrack has mainly consisted of orchestra pieces and not much

percussion or rock but this is my first switch up. Sextape is one of the most prolific songs off of

Diamond eyes made by Deftones. It has a very melodic feel and melancholic sound to the start. It

would go perfect for the credits to end the whole madness that is Hamlet.

Burns 5