Justice In Hamlet

In the revenge play of Hamlet, the idea of poetic justice can be seen throughout the play various times. Shakespeare allows the reader to understand the mistakes of each character by killing them off in a justly manner. While seeking revenge, the main characters of the play earn their poetic ending, permitting Shakespeare to restore the karmic balance of the play. Claudius, Leartes, Polonius, are all killed poetically as a direct result of their actions, while Ophelia is used to reiterate the poetic justices in the other character because of the fact that she is not killed poetically.

Claudius poisoned King Hamlet in order to become King himself. While he feels the guilt of killing his brother, Claudius doesn’t want to give up the fruits of his crime, these being the queen and his crown. “Is there not rain enough in the sweet heavens To wash it white as snow? Whereto serves mercy But to confront the visage of offence? And what's in prayer but this twofold force, To be forestallÐ"Ёd ere we come to fall Or pardoned being down? Then I'll look up. My fault is past. But oh, what form of prayer Can serve my turn, “Forgive me my foul murder”? That cannot be, since I am still possessed Of those effects for which I did the murder: My crown, mine own ambition, and my queen. May one be pardoned and retain th' offense? (A.III.sc.iii.ln 46-57).” Claudius questions what God's mercy is for and how prayers serve the purposes of keeping us from sinning and bringing us forgiveness when we have sinned. Since Claudius already committed his sin and doesn’t want to give up the rewards, he doesn’t know if God will forgive him. In the end, Claudius gets what he deserves and is killed with his own poison. Claudius is forced, by Hamlet, to drink out of the poisoned goblet that killed Gertrude. An enraged Hamlet tells him “Here, thou incestuous, murderous, damnÐ"Ёd Dane, Drink off this potion. Is thy union here? Follow my mother (A.V.sc.II.ln 320-322).” We can see how Shakespeare incorporates Claudius’s plans and his death to restore a balance in the play because how he is killed fits the crime he committed.

Laertes is enraged by the death of his father. He talks about how he doesn’t care about conscience or loyalty even to Claudius. “How came he dead? I'll not be juggled with. To hell, allegiance! Vows, to the blackest devil! Conscience and grace, to the profoundest pit! I dare damnation. To this point I stand That both the worlds I give to negligence. Let come what comes, only I'll be revenged Most thoroughly for my father.” (A.IV.sc.v.ln 104- 110). We can see that Laertes is willing to do anything to avenge his father’s death and, contrary to the procrastination of Hamlet, he wants to do it immediately. Claudius tells Laertes that he is not responsible fo the death of his father and convinces him that it is Hamlet who killed him and must die. At the end, when Hamlet and Laertes are fencing, Laertes admits, “And yet it is almost 'gainst my conscience.” (A.V.sc.ii.ln 292). While he knows that to retaliate the death of his father he must kill Hamlet, he admits it is against his principles and yet kills him anyway. For this character, Shakespeare has his poetic end come within minutes of his wrongdoing as Hamlet slashes Laertes with his sword and his poison. Laertes, when he finds out that he has been poisoned with his own “weapon” says, “Why, as a woodcock to mine own springe, Osric. I am justly killed with mine own treachery.” (A.V.sc.ii.ln 302-303). Shakespeare has this character proclaim that he is dieing justly and realizes he is receiving exactly what he put out in the world.

The character of Polonius is a busybody, very nosy and a pompous man. He is killed while eavesdropping in on the Queen and Hamlet’s conversation. Polonius, since early in the play, can be seen as a snobbish person who is more interested in other people’s affairs and problems than his own. The audience never gets an insight to a problem or concern of Polonius. We just see him involved in trying to “help” others, while really prying and interfering into their business. We can see how he gets overly involved in everyone’s life, including his own children. “Marry, well said, very well said. Look you, sir, Inquire me first what Danskers are in Paris, And how, and who, what means, and where they keep What company at what expense; and finding By this encompassment and drift of question That they do know my son, come you more nearer Than your particular demands will touch it. Take you, as 'twere, some distant knowledge of him, As thus: “I know his father and his friends, And, in