Order As Hamlet example essay topic

A Return To Moral Order: The Extent To Which Good Overcomes Evil / Order Overcomes Chaos In Shakes p In every society a distinctive hierarchy (organization of power) exists; it could a countrys government, with a president, his cabinet and voters or it could be something as simple as a school, where the teachers are the decision makers and the children follow obediently. In the Shakespearean world, life was kept constant through the maintenance of the Great Chain of Being or moral order. The Great Chain of Being was thought to be the natural order of power amongst all the beings in the universe. According to this chain, God had the most control over life followed by Archangels, Angels, Saints, Kings, Nobles and Peasants (who had little power). Any disruption in this chain was believed to cause chaos in society. As people today challenge the government, and children conflict with teachers, so too did people of the Shakespearean world sometimes try to challenge moral order, the results were disastrous.

In the play Hamlet by William Shakespeare, Denmark is thrown into chaos by the reckless actions of several characters who fail to follow the moral order. However, at the plays end, the chaos resulting from these actions is resolved and moral order is restored as Shakespeare proves that good does triumph over evil. Hamlets quest for revenge of his fathers death leads him on a horrific journey that destroys the Danish monarchy, yet manages to be successful. Although the spying of Polonius, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern leads to the disruption of the natural progression of the battle between Hamlet and Claudius, these characters are reprimanded for their actions.

Finally, the cause of all the tragedy, Claudius and his overzealous ambitions, are destroyed, so that order may be returned to Denmark. After his fathers ghost returns to command vengeance for his death, Hamlet casts aside his normally intelligent, sensible personality and takes the task which leads to the devastation of the Danish monarchy. Hamlet was uncertain as to whether the ghost was a spirit of health, or goblin damn (I. iv. 40): however, with wings as swift / as meditation, or the thoughts of love, / [he swept] to [his fathers] revenge. (I. vs. 31-32) To assist in his plot to catch the murderer of his father, Hamlet feigns insanity and considers whether it is serves his purpose better To be or not to be, that is the question; / whether tis nobler in the mind to suffer / the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, / or to take arms against a son of troubles / and by opposing, end them. ( . i. 55-60) Hamlet is unsure whether the ghost is a good or evil presence, yet he commits himself to the quest regardless; this ignorance of right from wrong proves to be fatal. By taking vengeance for his fathers death, Hamlet tries to overthrow moral order, by going above Claudius authority in a plot to kill him.

Through his reckless disregard for the natural progression of life, Hamlet initiated the chaos that would cost the lives of almost all those around him, including his own mother. Although Hamlet started off with the good intention of putting his fathers spirit at ease he was forced to consider whether or not his actions were as evil as the original murder and if in fact he should have left Claudius punishment to fate. Despite the many victims of Hamlets quest, Claudius was killed for his crime; completing Hamlets journey, and restoring order to Denmark. The persistent spying of the plays characters contributes to the chaos of the plot. Polonius, advisor to Claudius, attains all his information for the King through spying; to gain information about Hamlets sanity he went Behind the arras to convey [himself], / to hear the process: Ill warrant shell tax him home: Claudius not only spies on Hamlet, but he also spies on his own son Laertes when he goes off to France. Polonius distrusting nature is abruptly ended when Hamlet fatally while he hide behind the arras listening to a conversation between Hamlet and Gertrude.

Like Polonius, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are used by Claudius to spy on their childhood friend Hamlet. The two men engage Hamlet in a renewal of their friendship, but Hamlet becomes aware of their loyalty to Claudius. Upon a trip to England commissioned by the Claudius, Hamlet discovers a letter from the King sentencing him to death. Hamlet alters the letter to order the deaths of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern who were accompanying him to England, and then Hamlet escapes the ship. (V. ii.

13-47) By failing to realize their own limitations, (that is that they are men, and not capable of foreseeing the future as they tried to do through spying) Polonius, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern caused a disruption of order by providing Claudius with the information he otherwise wouldnt have had, thus helping him avoid Hamlets revenge. It was the consequential death of these characters that restored order; as Hamlet could then carry out his vengeance against Claudius without interference. Like Hamlet, Claudius, the King of Denmark tried to step outside his natural role in the moral order and control fate. Claudius admitted that his offense [was] rank, it smells to heaven. / It hath the primal eldest curse upon, / A brothers murder... ( ..

36-37) Claudius killed his brother, Hamlet Sr. with poison, while he was sleeping, and then married his brothers wife and took his crown. Claudius believed that in the corrupted currants of [his] world / offenses gilded hand [could] shove by justice ( .. 57-58) and that God could not forgive him since [he was] still possessed / of those effects for which [he] did murder, / [his] crown, [his] own ambition and [his] queen. ( ..

53-55) After Claudius lost his crown, Gertrude and his life, Fortinbras arrived in Denmark to claim the Danish throne. Claudius higher ambitions of royalty he was not naturally to have, caused him to commit a murder that would spark tragedy to all those around him. Furthermore, Claudius believed that wealth procured a higher power in society, above the average citizen and even above the law; for Claudius, this perception of power was enough to induce the evil act of murder. At the plays end, with Gertrude dead, it is Hamlets sword that finally kills Claudius, ending his reign as monarch with his life and allowing Hamlet the satisfaction of completing his original goal before he too died. Therefore it is shown that the noble quest for revenge overcomes the evils of greed, and restores order to life. In conclusion, let it be shown that if Fortinbras (who was to seek revenge for the murder of his father at the hands of Hamlet Sr.) had invaded Denmark when he originally wanted to, he would have made the same mistake as Claudius, Hamlet and all the spies: trying to control destiny.

However, because he waited, he was rewarded with the attainment of the Danish crown in an honest manner. Fortinbras impeccable timing at the plays end signifies the final restoration of order and proves that following the moral order leads to a civilized life and the triumph of good over evil.