Betrayal In Hamlet By William Shakespeare

Hamlet is a play by William Shakespeare that portrays the lives of a royal family. The play begins when watchmen supposedly see a ghost, and bring a scholar to verify the apparition. Horatio, the scholar, says it is indeed a ghost. The ghost resembles the deceased king, and they decide that they must go tell his son. When they find Hamlet, they teach him of this being, and he exclaims that he wishes to see it. When Hamlet and the other men are taking watch, the ghost appears. The ghost gestures for Hamlet to speak with him, so he leaves his group. Upon talking to his deceased father, he learns that there is more than meets the eye to his death. This is an important note for the reader to take throughout the entirety of the play. Shakespeare
In act one, Shakespeare reveals a theme of betrayal is swiftly followed by revenge through the event of Hamlet learning of how his father died and the character, Hamlet, swearing to avenge his father’s death. To begin, once Hamlet follows the ghost away from the others, he begins to discover the truth about his father’s death. This event allows Hamlet to learn about King Claudius’ terrible act, introducing the theme and helping to drive the play. The ghost reveals this betraying action by saying, “‘Tis given out that, sleeping in my orchard, a serpent stung me; so the whole ear of Denmark is by a forged process of my death rankly abused. But know, thou noble youth, the serpent that did sting thy father’s life now wears his crown’”(Shakespeare 1.5). Through this event, the reader quickly learns the betraying act by the ghost’s brother. Because the king was betrayed, Hamlet is sure to take revenge. Hamlet’s future action of avenging his father’s death is crucial in introducing and developing the theme and driving the rest of the play. Later in the play, Hamlet is enraged, and with