To avenge one’s death is to honour one’s soul. To be able to avenge there must be an opportunity for revenge, and for the chance at revenge there must be an initial wrong doing. Nemesis is the greek goddess of revenge that chases characters throughout traditional revenge plays. Revenge is to seek some sort of equality in the form of reaction due to one’s initial action, in this sense revenge is to answer a wrong with a reaction that is equivalent to that wrong. In William Shakespeare’s Hamlet the theme of revenge is dominant and makes for a traditional revenge play. Throughout the entire play Nemesis is in pursuit of certain characters. By the end of the play Nemesis catches up to all of the main characters and delivers them the revenge that they deserve. The greek goddess of revenge hunts down the characters in Hamlet throughout the entire play and traps them, and unlike any other characteristic of a tragedy, Nemesis defines Hamlet as a traditional revenge play.
Nemesis pursues specific characters during the play, attempting to deliver justice to each character, which is why the greek goddess, unlike any other attribute, is the main reason why Hamlet is a traditional revenge play. The frame for the traditional revenge play is demonstrated when Claudius is pursued by Nemesis throughout the entire play as the consequences of his actions catches up with him. Claudius, in his soliloquy, reveals that his conscience is guilty and that “[] above: / There is no shuffling; there the action lies / In his true nature, and [they themselves] compelled, / Even to the teeth and forehead of [their] faults, / To give in evidence” (III.iii.63-68). Claudius is aware that Nemesis is in his shadow waiting to serve him justice for his crimes, and that his crimes cannot be bought off or hidden. Hamlet symbolizes Nemesis to Claudius as Hamlet is the avenger seeking to take revenge on Claudius. Hamlet vows to become Claudius’s Nemesis when Ham...