The most common distinction between a tragedy and a comedy is the development arc of the plot. In general, a comedy goes from a messy world to a world where everything is put back together. A tragedy, on the other hand, typically begins with everything as it should be before descending into chaos (Cahn 1). Consider that at the beginning of actual tragedies like King Lear or Macbeth the world is in a state of order, but then quickly degenerates into death and madness. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original EssayA subgenre of tragedy is the revenge tragedy which differs somewhat in that the universe by definition has already been disrupted from the beginning. Revenge, of course, requires the protagonist of this tragedy to engage in a series of actions aimed at rebalancing order in the universe (Frye 68). The normal course of events in a revenge tragedy follows the line of plot development in which the avenger must perform the actions that restore order to a world of disorder. William Shakespeare's Hamlet fits comfortably into the revenge tragedy genre as it opens with the melancholy Dane in the depths of human misery, in the center of a topsy-turvy world where his uncle is now his father (Gardner 218). Yet, at the heart of Hamlet's revenge story, there is a notable difference that perhaps presents itself as the central theme of the play. Most protagonists of revenge drama encounter obstacles in executing their revenge from the outside (Frye 68). This, in turn, takes into account the purely literary concerns of stretching the story to the necessary length. Some may argue that Hamlet does everything in vain and does so not as a result of external obstacles at the end of Hamlet sealing his uncle's downfall, but rather as a result of external obstacles. the result of internal obstacles. Perhaps the main criticism of most readers is: why does Hamlet take so long to make a decision? He is presented with the opportunity several times to stab Claudius with his sword, but instead of doing so it seems he would rather talk to himself about why he should or shouldn't do it. The revenge game in its purest form makes it clear that the act of revenge is right. Ghostly apparitions, apparitions, and other supernatural devices are introduced to drive home the point that an act has been committed that warrants revenge (Baker 148). One of the great ironies at work in Hamlet is that, even though these elements are introduced in the form of the ghost of Hamlet's father who assures him of the truth about his death, Hamlet continues to question himself. From his initial encounter with the ghostly figure of his father, Hamlet is led to question appearances and the perception of pure truth. His doubt about the reality that the ghost is actually the ghost of his murdered father very often leads to questions about Hamlet's motivations. Is he simply a coward? Is he crazy? His questioning and contemplation of every aspect of life reaches the point of compulsion. Hamlet becomes an obsessive questioner of reality and as such remains static for much of the play. Hamlet belongs to the subgenre of revenge tragedy, but it is his reluctance to commit to tracking down the object of his revenge that separates this play. from the package. Throughout the story, Hamlet will be driven to obsessively reflect on the much broader meaning of revenge, suicide, love, and even the very purpose of existence. As irritating as Hamlet's long-winded meditations may be, they are the heart of the play and what allows it to stand out from other tragedies ofvendetta. Furthermore, these insightful insights into life ultimately reveal the answer to why Hamlet waits so long before deciding to kill his father's murderer. largest massacres in the history of literature. Between the death of the elderly Hamlet and the death of his son, the cast of corpses reads like a who's who of the play: Polonius' entire family, Ophelia and Laertes, both Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, Hamlet's mother Gertrude and his uncle Claudio. Ironically, for a man who spends so much time contemplating murder, Hamlet finds himself with blood on his hands from the deaths of many of these characters. In fact, some critics have even suggested that Hamlet is considered a sociopath because of his role: direct or indirect in the deaths of so many people (Wilson 166). Regardless of whether Hamlet is directly responsible for the murder of Polonius or indirectly in the form of a puppeteer pulling the strings, as in the case of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to their deaths, there is no doubt that a whole series of people meet their end up at his command. And then, of course, there is the argument that the deaths of Ophelia and Laertes are Hamlet's responsibility because if only he had immediately decided to take revenge their lives would have been spared. The argument is that all of these characters and friends of Hamlet met their downfall due to his procrastination. If Hamlet had killed Claudius while he was praying, or at any time before, Claudius would not have killed Polonius, and it is that murder that truly sets the course of the tragedy in which the play ends. it also causes Gertrude's death. Polonius' eavesdropping leads to his death, and Polonius' death sets in motion the events that lead to Ophelia's suicide, which in turn causes Laertes to join Claudius in his murderous designs on Hamlet who, of course, ironically turns around to kill almost everyone is gone. The death of Hamlet's mother could have been avoided if Hamlet had not spent so much time talking but carrying out the revenge his dead father demanded of him. Ultimately, of course, the end result of Hamlet's procrastination is his own death. Hamlet's refusal to immediately take revenge makes Laertes want to take revenge for his father's needless and vicious murder. To see Hamlet's story this way, Laertes becomes a hero of sorts. He can be seen as what Hamlet is not; the thing Hamlet should be. After discovering that his father has been murdered, Laertes doesn't just sit and talk to himself endlessly about revenge, suicide, and the deeper mysteries of life, he quickly springs into action. Plots with King Claudius to kill Hamlet in a skirmish. game by poisoning the tip of his sword. Laertes sees the world in black and white, with no confusing shades of gray to color his decision-making. For some people, there is a word that adequately describes the difference between someone who only sees things in black and white; for whom the answer to any question boils down to yes or no. Hamlet himself uses that word in one of the most famous quotes in a play overflowing with famous quotes. Unlike his friend Laertes, Hamlet is incapable of seeing the world through a lens that only lets in black and white. He is never less than fully aware that he must seek revenge, but he remains troubled by the actual act of murdering Claudius. In fact, Hamlet is so confused and conflicted about doing what he knows is right while at the same time wondering whether he has the right to commit that act that he contemplates self-murder as an answer to his dilemma (Mack 257). Hamlet, all too aware that ghostly apparitions can easily be the result, 1935.