A Return To Moral Order The

A Return To Moral Order : The Extent To Which Good Overcomes Evil / Order Overcomes Chaos In Shakesp Essay, Research Paper

In every society a distinctive hierarchy (organization of power) exists; it could a

country?s government, with a president, his cabinet and voters or it could be something as

simple as a school, where the teachers are the decision makers and the children follow

obediently. In the Shakespearean world, life was kept constant through the maintenance

of the Great Chain of Being or moral order. The Great Chain of Being was thought to

be the natural order of power amongst all the beings in the universe. According to this

chain, God had the most control over life followed by Archangels, Angels, Saints, Kings,

Nobles and Peasants (who had little power). Any disruption in this chain was believed to

cause chaos in society. As people today challenge the government, and children conflict

with teachers, so too did people of the Shakespearean world sometimes try to challenge

moral order, the results were disastrous.

In the play Hamlet by William Shakespeare, Denmark is thrown into chaos by the

reckless actions of several characters who fail to follow the moral order. However, at the

play?s end, the chaos resulting from these actions is resolved and moral order is restored

as Shakespeare proves that good does triumph over evil. Hamlet?s quest for revenge of

his father?s death leads him on a horrific journey that destroys the Danish monarchy, yet

manages to be successful. Although the spying of Polonius, Rosengrantz and

Guildenstern leads to the disruption of the natural progression of the battle between

Hamlet and Claudius, these characters are reprimanded for their actions. Finally, the

cause of all the tragedy, Claudius and his overzealous ambitions, are destroyed, so that

order may be returned to Denmark.

After his father?s ghost returns to command vengeance for his death, Hamlet casts

aside his normally intelligent, sensible personality and takes the task which leads to the

devastation of the Danish monarchy. Hamlet was uncertain as to whether the ghost was

?a spirit of health, or goblin damn?d? (I. iv. 40) : however, ?with wings as swift / as

meditation, or the thoughts of love, / [he swept] to [his father?s] revenge?. (I. v. 31-32)

To assist in his plot to catch the murderer of his father, Hamlet feigns insanity and

considers whether it is serves his purpose better

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 son of troubles / and by opposing, end them.(III. i. 55-60)

Hamlet is unsure whether the ghost is a good or evil presence, yet he commits himself to

the quest regardless; this ignorance of right from wrong proves to be fatal. By taking

vengeance for his father?s death, Hamlet tries to overthrow moral order, by going above

Claudius? authority in a plot to kill him. Through his reckless disregard for the natural

progression of life, Hamlet initiated the chaos that would cost the lives of almost all those

around him, including his own mother. Although Hamlet started off with the good

intention of putting his father?s spirit at ease he was forced to consider whether or not his

actions were as evil as the original murder and if in fact he should have left Claudius?

punishment to fate. Despite the many victims of Hamlet?s quest, Claudius was killed for

his crime; completing Hamlet?s journey, and restoring order to Denmark.

The persistent spying of the play?s characters contributes to the chaos of the plot.

Polonius, advisor to Claudius, attains all his information for the King through spying; to

gain information about Hamlet?s sanity he went ?Behind the arras to convey [himself], / to

hear the process: I?ll warrant she?ll tax him home:? Claudius not only spies on Hamlet,

but he also spies on his own son Laertes when he goes off to France. Polonius?

distrusting nature is abruptly ended when Hamlet fatally while he hide behind the arras

listening to a conversation between Hamlet and Gertrude. Like Polonius, Rosencrantz

and Guildenstern are used by Claudius to spy on their childhood friend Hamlet. The two

men engage Hamlet in a renewal of their friendship, but Hamlet becomes aware of their

loyalty to Claudius. Upon a trip to England commissioned by the Claudius, Hamlet

discovers a letter from the King sentencing him to death. Hamlet alters the letter to order

the deaths of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern who were accompanying him to England, and

then Hamlet escapes the ship.(V. ii. 13-47) By failing to realize their own limitations,

(that is that they are men, and not capable of foreseeing the future as they tried to do

through spying) Polonius, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern caused a disruption of order by

providing Claudius with the information he otherwise wouldn?t have had, thus helping him

avoid Hamlet?s

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