Shakespeare incorporated the theme of madness to serve a motive for Hamlet in order to deceive others. Hamlet planned everything from what he was doing to what he was going to do. Hamlet did in fact pretend to be mad, just so he could follow through on his plan to avenge his father’s death. He acted like he was mad because he did not want to directly kill Claudius, because he wanted to make him suffer. Hamlet also knew that he could not tell anyone that Claudius has murdered his father or that he had seen the ghost of his father because no one would believe him.
Hamlet decides to kill Claudius to seek revenge over his father’s death. In the meantime, Hamlet is given endless opportunities to kill his uncle, one being the time where Claudius is in prayer and Hamlet says: "and so ‘a goes to heaven; /and so am I revenged. That would be scann'd:/A villain kills my father, and for that/ I, his sole son, do the same villain send/to heaven." (3.3.74-78) Although Hamlet is determined to avenge his father through the death of Claudius; he takes any opportunity he can to procrastinate, which includes the excuse of this uncle’s peaceful state of mind. Considering the thought that being in a position with God may cause his death to be less painful, Hamlet chooses to wait, whereas he could have killed him off and ultimately saved his life in the end.
Hamlet himself says, "That I essentially am not in madness, but mad in craft." He thought about everything he was doing, and everything he was going to do. Hamlet did in fact act like he was mad, just so he could follow through on his plan to avenge his father's death. Hamlet acted like he was mad because he did not want to outright kill Claudius, because he would probably go to heaven, and Hamlet wanted to make him suffer like Claudius had made his father suffer. Hamlet also knew that he could not go around telling people that Claudius killed his father just because a ghost told him so.
Hamlet derives a plan to have actors re-enact the death of his father as told to him by the ghost. He watches Claudius during the play, and knows from the way Claudius behaves that he did indeed kill his father. He wants to kill Claudius, but puts it off several times. He knows that it is a sin and against the law to kill out of revenge. He also sees Claudius praying for forgiveness, but wouldn’t kill him because he wouldn’t ascend to heaven.
Iago has many rather theoretical reasons for his revenge, one of which being his failure to receive the spot of lieutenant, and the other being that he “suspect[s] the lusty Moor” of sleeping with his wife, Emilia. Iago, being a very jealous and icy man sees that the only way to be “even’d with him” is to go “wife for wife”. Iago’s revenge is a carefully plotted strategy that involves many intricate details and occurrences. This extract tells the reader a lot about Iago’s plan that has previously only been assumed. Iago is so emotionally detached that he claims his ‘love’ for Desdemona exists predominantly “to diet [his] revenge”.
The ghost informed Hamlet that he had been killed by Sir King Claudius and that Claudius was, in fact, Hamlet's uncle. From there, the ghost only asked for one thing and one thing only, and all the deceased king requested was revenge from his son. Taking in all this information, wanting to avenge his father's death, and wanting to do as his father asks causes Hamlet to do many crazy things, including pretending to have lost his sanity. This causes many deaths in the story during Hamlet's journey to revenge. One of which was Polonious, who was stabbed by Hamlet during Hamlets rant to his mother.
Hamlet doesn’t know what he is doing in his life because he can’t act upon his father’s murder. King Claudius kills Hamlet’s father, so Hamlet is in a confused as to how he will get revenge. He wants to do what it takes to avenge his father’s death. "Revenge his foul and most unnatural murder," demands the ghost in (Act I, scene 5, line 23). The ghost tells hamlet he needs to kill King Claudius but Hamlet is to busy consumed in all the problems he has, that he doesn’t act at the right time.
This method of obtaining knowledge about someone else’s plans defies morality and weakens any bond of trust formed within Hamlet’s home. Secrets are supposed to be kept, but when eavesdropping is present, it becomes virtually impossible. Hamlet’s family and piers have considered him insane within his house. He is suffering from internal struggles about his father’s death, and the task he has been given. Hamlet has been instructed by the ghost of his late father to avenge his death by killing King Claudius.
Iago not only attempts to seek out his own personal revenge, but he manipulates several other characters in order to help him reach his own goal. He plays on the other characters’ weaknesses and personal tragedies to help him reach his own ultimate revenge. As is proven by the end of the play, Shakespeare is clearly stating his personal belief that revenge is improper. This can be seen through the ultimate downfall of Iago and all those involved. In his play Othello, Shakespeare uses the plot, characters, and ultimate destructive ending to all to show the reader his opinion that all revenge is improper.
Willie’s tragic flaw was he doesn’t know from reality from fantasy. All of these tragic heroes have suffered greatly but Oedipus is by far the most tragic hero of them all. Oedipus tries to escape faith but faith had a way of catching up to him. There was a prophecy that he would grow up to kill his father and marry his mother. Oedipus tries to avoid this by running away from his “parents”.