Theme of Guilt in Hamlet Fifth Business Essay example

There is one human emotion that can paralyse us, lead us to lie both to ourselves and others, to commit actions that we don’t endure, and to cripple any rational thought processes. It is self perpetuating if allowed to get out of control. Its side effects are anger, aggressiveness, fear or reclusiveness. Its symptoms are irrational behaviour, lying, anguish, and lack of self-esteem. It is the strong emotion that can affect our conscience, like an acid drop it corrodes the soul within and in extreme conditions it demolishes one’s life, it is better known as guilt. Guilt is a reoccurring theme in Robertson Davies’ Fifth Business, and William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, that is demonstrated by various characters including, Dunstable Ramsay, Paul†¦show more content†¦Moreover Paul was forced to feel the guilt at a young age, causing him to become frustrated, and that is when he decides to escape from Deptford and runs away with Le grand Cirque forain des S t. Vite (Davies, 148), â€Å"‘He was my only teacher till I ran away with a circus.’† (Davies, 265). Equivalently in the play Hamlet, the theme of guilt was developed through Hamlet and his most hateful enemy, King Claudius. Hamlet experiences guilt when he recognizes that he has not yet avenged his father’s death and in Act I Scene ii Hamlet reveals that he is upset and disappointed with himself, as he has not taken any actions to attain revenge from Claudius, the murderer of his father. Hamlet then calls himself, a peasant slave and questions, Whats Hecuba to him, or he to Hecuba, That he should weep for her? What would he do, Had he motive and cue for passion That I have? (Shakespeare, II, ii, 529. 538-541). Furthermore, Hamlet later decides to relief his overwhelming guilt by commanding the actors to re-enact his father’s death through The Murder of Gonzago, (Shakespeare, III, ii, 284), in order to confirm that the ghost was being truthful and Claudius did kill his father, â€Å"May be the devil, and the devil hath power T assume a pleasing shape. Yea, and perhaps Out of my weakness and my melancholy, As he is very potent with such spirits, Abuses me to damn me. I’ll have grounds More relative than this. The play’s the thing Wherein I’ll catchShow MoreRelatedThe Miller s Fifth Business, And William Shakespeare s `` Seventh Business ``1395 Words   |  6 PagesGuilt can cause one to make poor choices that will affect both oneself and others. As it grows, it can lead to anger, aggressiveness, and fear. In Robertson Davies’ novel, Fifth Business, and William Shakespeare s play, Hamlet, guilt is a recurring theme that is a major factor in many characters’ lives. Davies and Shakespeare demonstrate this by having a character feel guilty while other characters do not. The components of guilt are portrayed through the characters’ experiences, how they cope withRead MoreComparative Essay- the Great Gatsby4190 Words   |  17 Pagesto develop as a character and also helps develop the play. This is also evide nt in Hamlet And Ophelia. In the novel The Great Gatsby, Nick Carraways realization of the equality of man altered through his origin sets him up as a morally sound standard, until confronted by Jordan Baker. The American Dream will never be a failure if Jordan does not develop Nick into his final character. In the novel Fifth Business, Jungs theory suggests that the conscious part of Dunnys personality is broughtRead Morearthur miller1937 Words   |  8 Pagesview of the direction the country had taken. Arthur Miller was born in Manhattan in 1915 to Jewish immigrant parents. 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