When people seek revenge, they often become victims of their own emotions. The protagonist Hamlet from Shakespeare's play Hamlet, is unhappy and wants revenge for his father's murder. Dunstan, the protagonist in Robertson Davies' Fifth Business, also feels unhappy, but helps the situation instead of seeking revenge. Both stories follow the resolution of their misery, each with different conclusions. Even though Hamlet and Dunstan are both unhappy, there are many differences in how they resolve problems, which contribute to the resolution of the plot.
Dunstan's misery begins when his friend and enemy, Percy Staunton, throws a snowball at him, he ducks to avoid the ball which hits pregnant Mary Dempster. Upon contact, the ball left Mary with brain damage and sent her into premature birth. "I was contrite and guilty, for I knew that the snowball was meant for me"(Davies 3), Dunstan's guilt and unhappiness builds when Mary's son Paul struggles to survive birth. He decides to be friendly, attempting to help a very unfortunate situation. Hamlet is also unhappy, his father had been murdered, and his mother had remarried his uncle Claudius. However, he decides rather than making the best of the situation, to take revenge on his uncle Claudius "Haste me to know it, that I, with wings as swift As meditation or the thoughts of love May sweep to my revenge"(1.5.33-35). Where Hamlet jumps to the decision of revenge, killing his uncle, Dunstan decides to be hopeful, praying for the Dempsters. .
In both stories, the protagonists follow their emotions, Hamlet's anger, and Dunstan's guilt. Hamlet is narcissistic and concerned about himself, disregarding the people he loves in order to achieve revenge. He says awful things to his love, Ophelia, telling her "Get thee to a nunnery"(3.1.131) because she is an obstacle in his path to revenge. Hamlet also becomes deeply depressed and contemplates suicide "To be, or not to be, that is the question"(3.
