Hamlet and Orestes

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Hamlet and Orestes

Compares the situation and characteristics of the character, Hamlet, from Shakespeare's play "Hamlet" with those of the character, Orestes, from Aeschylus' play "The Oresteia".

1,637 words () | 4 sources | MLA | 2007 United States

Paper Summary:

This paper relates that two of the most prominent characters in revenge tragedy plays are Hamlet, from William Shakespeare's play, "Hamlet" and Orestes, from Aeschylus' play "The Oresteia". The paper notes that, even though there is a vast time period separating the two plays, the main characters, Hamlet and Orestes respectively, are placed in several similar family situations and have identical characteristics that are displayed throughout the texts. The paper further notest that, while there are many situations and characteristics that the characters have in common, there are also differences. The paper attempts to show that Shakespeare and Aeschylus use these familial situations and characteristics so that the audience of the plays can both relate and respond to their dramas.

From the Paper:

"Although Hamlet and The Oresteia were both written many years apart, the familial situations surrounding both plays are strikingly similar. In Hamlet, Hamlet is plagued by the death of his father who is murdered by his uncle, Claudius. After his father's death, Hamlet's mother, Gertrude, does not waste any time marrying Claudius. Even though Gertrude does not know until later in the play that Claudius killed her late husband, Hamlet still resents her for abandoning his father so quickly. Shakespeare uses this tragedy-ridden family's situation to elicit a response of shock within the audience when they learn about the state of affairs of Hamlet's family. A family that has a character who is murdered, a widow who marries the murderer, and a son looking for revenge brings shock to the audience and gets their attention. In The Oresteia, Orestes's father, Agamemnon, is murdered by his wife Clytaemnestra after coming home from battle. "

Sample of Sources Used:

Aeschylus. The Oresteia. London, England: Penguin Books, 1977.
Hamlet. 08 Oct. 2007. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., St. Petersburg, FL. 08 Oct. 2007 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamlet>.
The Oresteia. 02 Oct. 2007. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., St. Petersburg, FL. 08 Oct. 2007 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Oresteia>.
Shakespeare, William. Hamlet. London, England: Penguin Books, 2001.