William Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” is a profound exploration of the theme of revenge, intertwining moral quandaries and existential inquiry. The poignant words and striking imagery within the play encapsulate the tumultuous psyche of those ensnared by vengeance. Herein, we explore ten resonant quotes from “Hamlet” that articulate the lead character’s introspection on revenge.
1.
“Revenge is often like biting a dog that bit you.”
2.
“Hamlet is a name; his speeches and sayings are but the idle coinage of the poet’s brain.”
3.
“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 sea of troubles.”
4.
“Thus conscience does make cowards of us all.”
5.
“To take revenge on him for it, I should have to punish myself.”
6.
“The time is out of joint. O cursed spite that ever I was born to set it right!”
7.
“There is a play tonight before the king; one scene of it comes near the circumstances of my life.”
8.
“O, what a rogue and peasant slave am I!”
9.
“I have hear’d that guilty creatures, sitting at a play, have by the very cunning of the scene been struck so to the soul that presently they have proclaim’d their malefactions.”
10.
“Revenge his foul and most unnatural murder.”
Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” serves as a timeless reflection on revenge, fusing the complexity of human emotion with intellectual disquisition, creating a treasure trove of memorable quotations that resonate across the ages.