Hamlet's concept of revenge:

In this play, two young men are out to exact revenge on their father. Laertes and Hamlet are on the same errand, and as Hamlet considers how to solve the issue, Laertes comes close behind, determined to kill him in the same manner that Hamlet killed Polonius, his father. 

Consequently, this is a tale of double vengeance. Shakespeare tackles the practice of seeking retribution by taking two very different stances on it: Laertes's hot-headedness and Hamlet's logical, circumspect stance.

When he stabs Claudius with the poisoned sword and makes him drink from the poisoned chalice for good measure, Hamlet succeeds in exacting revenge for the death of his father.

The motivation behind the crime is more complicated at this time because, in a sense, his acts are also an act of retribution for his murder (Claudius poisoned Laertes' blade used in Hamlet's fight with him).

To exact his vengeance—he wants Hamlet dead for killing his father, Polonius, and driving his sister Ophelia insane after his callous treatment of her—Laertes and Claudius planned to employ a poisoned blade during their combat.

Laertes is a son who, like Hamlet, is determined to exact revenge for the death of his father. However, a third figure, the Norwegian prince Fortinbras, seeks to exact revenge on King Hamlet for killing his father.

Madness:

The trauma they encounter before and during the play only serves to exacerbate the mental illnesses that both Ophelia and Hamlet already have.

Hamlet is paralyzed at the beginning of the play by the shock of losing his father, and rather than consoling him, his uncle reprimands him and refers to his grief as "unmanly" (Shakespeare 14). 

Hamlet's mental suffering causes him to respond violently to his uncle's words, but he does so in private, thinking that life is useless and longing for death (Shakespeare 15). Hamlet plays the "madness" card to control everyone around him, but as the tragedy goes on, it's obvious that he has a mental disease.

Ophelia, on the other hand, is traumatized by two distinct incidents: first, Hamlet rejects her love; and, second, Hamlet casually kills her father. Ophelia's disheveled hair and inability to carry on a meaningful conversation make her mental condition, most likely sadness, abundantly evident to everyone.

Shakespeare's portrayal of mental illness features both male and female characters, which is remarkable given that women were thought to be more likely than men to get this condition. 

In addition, mental illness in women was frequently incorrectly identified and treated. Shakespeare takes care to first present Hamlet's "madness" as an act, but as the play goes on, it becomes evident that his condition is real.

Love:

In the play, Hamlet and Ophelia are depicted as lovers, as are Polonius and Ophelia and Laertes as father and daughter, as are Gertrude and Claudius as incestuous lovers, and as are Hamlet and Horatio as real friends.

Hamlet sums up the profundity of this kind of love by saying, "Doubt that the sun doth move; doubt truth to be a liar, but never doubt I love." According to the play Player Queen, "Where love is great, the littlest doubts are fear; Where little fears grow great, great love grows there."

Ophelia is loved by Hamlet, but not more than his vengeful desolation. His love for his mother outweighs his desire to exact revenge on his father's killer. 

As a friend, Horatio genuinely cares for and loves Hamlet. Polonius, although a self-centered courtier, is a wonderful parent who loves his son and daughter dearly.

The ghost of the deceased monarch begged Hamlet not to harm Gertrude since he loved her so dearly. Despite being a betrayer, Claudius had a sexual affection for Gertrude. The concepts of love recur frequently throughout the play.

According to Polonius, the "ecstasy" that affects Hamlet comes directly from love. Both Ophelia and Laertes become disturbed by it. It reveals Claudius's passion and traitorous side.

Deception:

In the drama, corruption stems from deception. Hamlet appears to be simply thinking over his mother's hurried marriage and grieving over his father's passing before the ghost reveals Claudius' betrayal. 

However, he becomes vengeful since he is aware of dishonesty. Hamlet has known Rosencrantz and Guildenstern since they were students, but because of their courtly ties to the Queen and the King, they trick Hamlet into believing they are spies.

When they were first married, Gertrude showed her husband a lot of affection, but she quickly succumbed to Claudius' carnal advances. Ophelia, who in the early stages is shown to be genuinely loved by Hamlet, yields to her father and brother and confesses Hamlet's condition.

By misdiagnosing Hamlet's condition under the guise of madness, Polonius deceives the Queen and the King in his capacity as a courtier. Laertes is duped by Claudius into believing that Hamlet is fully to blame for the deaths of his father and sister.

Even in a minor supporting role, Fortinbras, the prince of Norway, demonstrates duplicity as he marches his troops into Denmark while pretending to march them to Poland. Overall, the play exposes the inherent deceit in some people who use it to further their agenda.

Death and Mortality:

The tone of the play is gloomy and depressing. Therefore, death and mortality are two of the main themes throughout Hamlet.

Numerous fatalities are the play's most terrible aspect. The Ghost first appears at the castle and informs everyone of the King's unnatural death. This is where the plot in Hamlet which explores the mystery of death begins.

Act 1 opens with Prince being tormented by his father's death-related anguish and misery. He even thinks of using suicide as a remedy. However, he loses sight of this thought because he fears the gloomy uncertainty and never-ending pain of death.

Shakespeare also discusses the degradation and growth of corruption brought on by the passing of Old Hamlet in Act 1. The country, which is slowly perishing at the hands of the self-centered ruler, is a clear example of the death theme.

Hamlet accidentally stabs Polonius in Act 3. Although Prince had no intention of killing him, Polonius's carelessness turned out to be a terrible prank on him.

According to our analysis of Hamlet's treatment of the subject of mortality, the scene in which Yorick's skull appears was crucial for the protagonist. In Act 5, Scene 2, Hamlet declares that "the readiness is all" as he accepts his demise. His future thoughts on the subject are no longer motivated by either dread or longing. He realizes that life cannot exist without death.

Following his fatal accident, Hamlet begs Horatio to preserve his legacy so that he may live for as long as the tale endures. 

Appearance vs Reality:

A prominent subject in Hamlet is appearance vs reality. In the play, it is found several times via various lenses and in diverse situations. Let's look at some of Hamlet's best instances of deception.

Hamlet

The play's central figure embodies the idea of appearance vs reality. Hamlet expertly persuades everyone in the area that he is insane. He recognizes everyone for who they are, and he utilizes his position to look into Claudius.

However, Hamlet's interactions with Ophelia make his lie clear. He talks to her in an insulting manner. Prince, though, admits his love for her when she passes away.

Overall, Hamlet's main theme is the contrast between appearance and truth. Shakespeare expertly examined it with several play characters.

Claudius:

The nation holds Claudius in high regard. After his brother passed away unexpectedly, he became the new king and saved the nation. But is he that honorable? Actually, no.

Even though Claudius presents himself as a wise king of the land, he is the play's main antagonist. All of Hamlet's significant lies and treachery are the result of this character. To claim the kingdom, he brutally murders his brother. To cover up his horrific act, Claudius begins to influence those in the area.

Prince is, of course, the main victim of his villainy. Claudius begins spying on Hamlet to gain complete control over his nephew. Numerous other individuals are also included in the King's malicious scheme, including Ophelia, Gertrude, Laertes, Polonius, Rosencrantz, and Guildenstern. They consequently all endure the bad effects of his spoilt attitude.

Claudius presents himself as a wise ruler of Denmark, a devoted husband to Gertrude, and a loving stepfather to Hamlet. In truth, he is a ruthless killer, a liar, and a con artist.

Polonius:

Polonius is a perfect illustration of the issue of image vs. reality because he truly works hard to come across as a kind and loving parent. He opposes such a notion.

His interactions with his kids are often contentious. Polonius makes an effort to appear to be a loving father. In actuality, he doesn't give a damn about his children's aspirations or sentiments.

The elder son, Laertes, is a student in France. Polonius, who is trying to be a decent father, gives him advice on how to live a moral life. But what occurs? He dispatches Reynaldo to spy on his son in France. This demonstrates Polonius' disdain for and mistrust of Laertes.

The younger daughter, Ophelia, too suffers as a result of his self-centeredness. Polonius begins spying on Hamlet to acquire Claudius' favor. He makes sure Ophelia knows Prince doesn't have feelings for her as a result. Polonius forbids his daughter from communicating with him in any way.

Later, to listen in on Hamlet and Ophelia's chat, Claudius and Polonius ask Ophelia to speak with the two of them. It is a significant emotional challenge for a young woman. Polonius, however, does not give a damn about how his daughter feels. 

He's merely looking to impress the King. As a result, his outward portrayal as a loving parent does not reflect his true nature as a self-centered and dishonest man.

In the play, Gertrude is a somewhat peculiar and fascinating character. Most of the time, readers cannot tell if she is telling the truth or not:

Did she aware that King Hamlet was slain by Claudius?

Does she tell the truth to Claudius about Hamlet's madness after killing Polonius? Or does she genuinely hold this belief?

Does she make up a story about missing the Ghost when he entered the room?

Shakespeare covers these queries with a veil. As a result, the readers are unaware of the truth or falsity of Gertrude's lie in Hamlet. We are left with no choice but to make our interpretation of the Queen's actions.

Religion:

When examining the theological themes in Hamlet, it is important to remember that the play was written in England amid the 16th century's religious angst. Shakespeare thus uses Hamlet to capture the facts of his period.

There was a Religious Reformation. A sizable number of people as a result converted from Catholicism to Protestantism. Conflict arose between Roman Catholicism and Protestantism as a result of this.

This conflict is depicted in Hamlet by the contrast between Old and Young Hamlet.

The King is probably a Catholic, we can suppose. Why? Because the Ghost asserts that he is imprisoned in a form of purgatory when he first appears in Act 1 Scene 4. 

In Hamlet, we can see how culture is reflected. Purgatory is considered to be a part of the Roman Catholic Church by cultural and religious standards. We can infer that the recently departed King was Catholic because Old Hamlet's ghost alleges that his soul is imprisoned there.

Hamlet, on the other hand, practices Protestantism. Martin Luther, the leader of the Protestant Reformation, posted his 95 theses at Wittenberg University, where he is a student. Thus, the movement is thought to have its origins in Wittenberg. 

Hamlet presents novel viewpoints and creative concepts. He views the environment around him through a Protestant lens. He finds it difficult to challenge outdated Catholic practices and biases.

Of course, Hamlet's Protestantism has an impact on his personality. First of all, he considers using suicide as a solution to end all of his issues. It is not a remedy in the Protestant worldview. Hamlet chooses against suicide at the end of his renowned monologue because he is unclear about what would happen to his soul once he passes away.

Second, Hamlet's reluctance can be attributed to his religious affiliation. We can assume that the protagonist is on the fence about killing his uncle because he worries about going to hell. The failure of religion in Hamlet is evident to the audience when Prince ultimately stabs Claudius. He eventually exacts revenge on his father even though murder is unethical and forbidden by faith.

Family:

Shakespeare regularly discusses the subject of family in his plays. The connections between spouses, other relatives, parents, and children are expertly portrayed by the author. Let's examine the family topic in Hamlet in more detail.

In the drama, every instance of family significance ends in death.

Hamlet, a devoted son, desires to exact revenge for his father's murder. This demonstrates Prince's integrity and devotion to his family.

By consuming the poisoned wine, Gertrude kills herself, sparing her son. She may be sacrificing herself for her child to show Hamlet how much she loves him without condition.

As soon as Ophelia finds out about her father's passing, she goes insane and ends her life. Laertes also goes insane and decides to exact revenge on Hamlet for the deaths of Polonius and Ophelia.

Family is a somewhat contentious issue in Hamlet overall. Shakespeare explores a variety of connections throughout the play. In this way, readers can assess the importance of familial ties in people's lives.