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Explore Shakespeare’s presentation of the theme of duty in Hamlet
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The theme of duty is prominent in both Shakespeare’s Hamlet and Middleton’s The Revenger’s
Tragedy
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For example, the
17th century expectation to conform to society’s demands and the duty to be loyal to family is
apparent in both plays
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This is ultimately an attempt, by both writers, to highlight the corruption and
incompetence of their society
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Almost every character in Hamlet and The Revenger’s
Tragedy either struggles to fulfill their expected duties or is callous enough to disregard them
completely, which is ultimately a reflection of a dysfunctional 17th century society
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However, a significant difference
between the two protagonists is their willingness to carry out the revenge; whereas Vindice has an
appetite for murder, Hamlet desperately struggles to act decisively
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But as the
play progresses, Hamlet continues to wallow in self pity; he hopelessly suffers from a great deal of
both moral and social paralysis
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Some critics believe that his self-doubt is rooted in the presence of the apparition, who
is supposedly his father
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This
would suggest something much more sinister about the sighting of the ghost; Hamlet himself
questions whether it is “a spirit of health or goblin damned”
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Comparatively, Vindice as a malcontent,
proudly expresses his desire to kill the Duke that has murdered his lover and humiliated his father
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This line is oxymoronic to illustrate Vindice’s questionable morals
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Vindice is ultimately
presented as quite a vindictive and sadistic character, with an arrogant hubris, that makes him very
difficult to sympathise with
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Ophelia and Castiza elicit a sympathetic response from a modern audience because they are the
ultimate victims of the patriarchal nature of society
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Therefore, one of their main duties is to remain chaste until
married
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Ophelia, like the majority of women in Jacobean times, is taught
how to think and feel about her sexuality, by men
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Such uncomfortably provocative language by
her brother emphasises the importance of virginity
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Almost identical similarities are apparent in The Revenger’s Tragedy
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Like Laertes,
Vindice too takes an interest in his sister’s sexuality
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The term ‘dishonourable act’ is ultimately a euphemism for sex which emphasises the

vulgarity and shame that is associated with sex before marriage
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Just as
in Hamlet, chastity is once again being associated with luxurious materials in order to objectify
women
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The collapse of moral duty, in both plays, is most evident in the characters that are at the top of the
social hierarchy
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Perhaps Shakespeare and Middleton are subtly exposing the corruption in royal
government at the time of James I’s reign, or even during Elizabeth’s time in power
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Both plays are set in foreign countries to avoid English
similarity
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Claudius fails to fulfill the 17th century duty to
honour the King
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Claudius rejects this notion and commits not only regicide but also fratricide, “a
brother’s murder”
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Claudius also struggles to fulfil
his duties as the King of Denmark
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Hamlet’s use of mythical
allusion to compare the two men, even before he is aware of the murder, amplifies the difference in
the two characters
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Similarly, the Duke’s cruel and perverted nature makes him equally as unable to fulfill his duty
as an honourable leader
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The Duke is appalled by his stepson’s misbehaviour, claiming
that he has “thrown ink upon the forehead of our state, which envious spirits will dip their pens into
after our death and blot us in our tombs”
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Both older female figures, Gertrude and Gratiana, struggle to fulfil their duties, or to even understand
what duty they are expected to fulfil, at times
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It is perhaps fair to say that the two women are superficial and power hungry, however in a
patriarchal society that deprived women of their self-worth, this is a somewhat understandable
reaction and they can certainly be sympathised with
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Hamlet, a self-proclaimed misogynist, is deeply distressed by his
mother’s actions, he believes that it is her duty to remain loyal to his father by not remarrying
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Although, this is a misrepresentative portrayal of
women, ‘frail’ may be an unfortunately fitting adjective for the Queen
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Vindice is equally as disillusioned by his mother’s desire for materialistic gain
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Vindice is in disbelief that his mother is willing to prostitute his sister in return for gold
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The use of an interrogative to mock Gratiana
indicates how shocked he is, his tone appears to be almost hysterical
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These duties
range from a number of different kinds; such as moral expectations, society’s obligations and in the
case of Hamlet and Vindice, self-assigned duties
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However, more often than not,
these characters fail to achieve their expected duties which is ultimately a reflection of a fractured and
dysfunctional Jacobean England

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