Controversial issues like incest and murder are difficult to discuss and even more difficult to resolve. Literature often uses such realities to leave the reader in a state of thought, rarely offering answers or even stances on issues. In Hamlet, Prince Hamlet kills Polonius and Claudius, resulting in the deaths of Rosencrantz, Guildenstern, Ophelia, Laertes, and Gertrude. In The Bluest Eye, Cholly rapes his daughter, Pecola. In their respective works Shakespeare and Morrison do not offer answers to these problems. Rather, such actions raise moral questions, forcing the reader to make their own judgments and truly engage with the text. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay In Hamlet, Prince Hamlet kills Polonius and Claudius, raising the question of whether "justifiable homicide" can be justified. The initial source of Hamlet's murderous fury is the command of his father's vengeful spirit, which reveals the truth behind the king's death and Claudius' betrayal. Prince Hamlet dedicates himself to avenging the death of the late King Hamlet, accidentally killing Polonius and ultimately killing Claudius. Social norms dictate that murder is wrong and therefore Prince Hamlet's murders should be considered immoral and unjust. However, the play presents a situation where the criminal (Claudio) would not be persecuted, as he is the king of Denmark and leaves no evidence of King Hamlet's murder. Therefore, the reader must ultimately judge whether Prince Hamlet's revenge on Claudius is justified and whether the people who died in his rampage are “acceptable victims.” Because the play commits the reader to being a judge, the reader has a moral obligation to consider both sides: the morality of Prince Hamlet's actions and Prince Hamlet's obligations to take revenge on the man who wronged him and to the kingdom. Giving weight to Prince Hamlet's obligations to the kingdom, the reader must consider Prince Hamlet's dignity as royalty. He endangers the integrity of the kingdom by killing Claudius, as this act leaves the kingdom vulnerable to Prince Fortinbras' army. On the other hand, Prince Hamlet's killing of Claudius prevented the king from getting away with murder. Shakespeare's intentional ambiguity on the issue allows the reader to consider the justice of Prince Hamlet's actions for themselves. In The Bluest Eye, Cholly rapes his daughter Pecola, bringing the social taboo of incest to the forefront of the novel. Cholly's abandonment and emotional distress provide the context for his actions (155), but the reader must decide whether and to what extent Cholly's background justifies his rape of Pecola. Should Cholly be held responsible for raping his daughter? Or does his possible insanity – the result of emotional abuse – exonerate him? Morrison offers no conclusive position, forcing the reader to judge the matter. In this case, Pecula's rape raises the question of moral obligation. Morrison presents the reader with two choices: either the reader is forced to sympathize with the victim's emotional distress or the reader is forced to view Cholly's background as an excuse for his actions. Because Morrison forces the reader to delve deeper into these questions, the reader is more involved in the plot, having to make inferences and hypotheses based on the facts presented. Such a strategy forces the reader to analyze the text more closely and think about implications beyond the pages of the novel. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom article from our expert writers now. Get an essay.