Revenge is the act of retaliation for an offense or injury caused to one person by another. It is the driving force in Shakespeare's passionate play Hamlet. It drives the behaviour of the lead character Hamlet, as he is taken over by the need for revenge for the murder of his father. Hamlet's action and lack of action in exacting his revenge have grievous results. Hamlet is not the only character who wants revenge, as Laertes and Fortinbras are also both seeking revenge for the death of their father's. Hamlet's method of exacting revenge can be compared and contrasted to the methods of Laertes and Fortinbras, however, Hamlet's method caused much unnecessary death, unlike the methods of Laertes and Fortinbras.

Hamlet's indecision and procrastination in exacting his revenge had grievous results. If Hamlet had been decisive and had created a plan to get revenge on Claudius, the deaths...