Hamlet And Othello Essay

Tragedy is a common theme within Shakespearean Literature. As an author, Shakespeare uses tragedy within his works to instill certain emotions and drama. Two examples of a Shakespearean tragedy are Hamlet and Othello. Hamlet and Othello are both tragic heroes within their respective stories. Sadly, due to their heroism, they are often the target for many plots and schemes. The setting of Hamlet takes place in the Kingdom of Denmark. King Hamlet has just died and his throne is passed on to his brother, Claudius. As King, Claudius inherits Denmark and the Queen, Gertrude. Prince Hamlet, the son of King Hamlet and Gertrude, is torn apart by the union of his mother and uncle. He is also troubled by the fact that he union came soon after the death of his father. Furthermore, Hamlet loved his father and
King Hamlet reveals that he did not die from natural causes, he was murdered. Hamlet is shocked to hear this information, and goes mad when he finds out that his uncle was the person responsible. King Hamlet is angry and tells Hamlet, “Revenge his foul and most unnatural murder”. (Shakespeare 1.5.31). King Hamlet is the lightning that strikes the tree and/or the puppet-master. His command to Hamlet sends him on a mission to seek revenge in his father’s name. Nonetheless, this mission led to the suffering of the other characters within the play. While Hamlet’s mission is against King Claudius, he hurts many other people in the process. The first man to die was Polonius, Hamlet stabbed him because he thought he was Claudius. Due to the loss of her father and a stern scolding from Hamlet, Ophelia committed suicide. To complete the familial domino effect, Laertes was next to meet his death. Using the advice of King Claudius, he challenged Hamlet to a duel. Hamlet bested Laertes, but was fatally wounded by a poisoned blade. Under that circumstance, Hamlet used his final seconds on earth to kill King