Justice - Persausive Speech

Justice - Persuasive Speech

Throughout history, the ideology of revenge being a means of justice has seeped into the minds of the human race. For thousands of years people have been brought various amounts of torment from others who believe what they were doing is justice. In the Shakespearean play "Hamlet" we see this ideology being exercised by Laertes, who is enraged by the fact that Hamlet had slain his father. Laertes seeks revenge and challenges Hamlet to a dual in which he plans to kill him. This method of revenge in modern terms has been classed as an eye for an eye, or in this case a life for a life. Justice is much like the saying "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder" in saying this, justice is in the eyes of the person exercising it. In America even today some states still have capital punishment with the belief that it's only fair for a person to pay with their life in certain situations.

The judge who resides in a court room with absolutely no idea of a persons past history, except for the criminal charges against their name is considered worthy with the jury's final decision to play with a defendant's life. The immense power given to the judge's and jury is a crime in it's self. Children and adults alike are told not to judge people and that two wrongs don't make a right, so we are contradicting our own words of wisdom and are hypocrites by doing this. It is impossible to determine whether or not the person is innocent or guilty or even framed for that matter, if the justice system is lacking the necessary evidence or if it has been tampered with, yet the proceedings in some cases still go ahead as if they were the criminal.

Authority is a major factor in the implementing of justice. Some police are on a power trip being given the authority to govern the people of there country and they talk down to everyone as if they are of higher status than civilians or as if the innocent were a criminal. In the play "Hamlet" Claudius the King has power over Denmark and has the authority to have the final say over everything in the name of justice. Denmark is being run by Claudius, a man who connived his way to the throne and justice instead of a being a means of maintaining what is right and just, becomes an asset a tool with which he can utilise and manipulate to his benefit. Laertes desires what he claims to be justice over the murder of his father.

Laertes father Polonius was stabed by Hamlet while eavesdropping behind the arras. Polonius hears the Queens cry of distress so he yells for help, Hamlet instantly thinking that it is Claudius, cries out "How now! A rat?" then stabs through the tapestry killing Polonius. After hearing about the death of Polonius, Laertes returns from France and in a rage storms through the castle looking to avenge his father. On this rampage he encounters Claudius who sympathizes Laertes loss and then states that he shall have his justice on the perpetrator, using these words "Where th' offence is, let the great axe fall". Laertes not knowing how or