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Hamlet
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In William Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice, Shylock states, “If you prick us do we not bleed? If you tickle us do we not laugh? If you poison us do we not die? And if you wrong us shall we not revenge?” Shakespeare acknowledged the effects of vengeance and the inevitability of vengeance in human affairs. The roots of vengeance are found all the way back in the fist book of the Bible in the story of Cain and Abel found in Genesis 4: 3-5, 8: In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord. But Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast…. Now Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let’s go out to the field.” And while they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him. The Lord then told Abel that because of his vengeful act of murder, he would be “a restless wanderer on the earth” (Genesis 4:12). To this day, this same consequence has haunted all those who committed acts of vengeance. Shakespeare clearly portrays the wickedness of vengeance in Hamlet and illustrates that its role in society is detrimental to mankind. The consequences of vengeance in human affairs have not changed any from the days of Biblical times. Through the extreme guilt and calamity vengeance brings to people’s lives, vengeance leads people to become restless, and causes them to move through life without a definite purpose or direction.
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