Controversial issues such as 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 reflection, rarely offering answers or even positions on the questions. In Hamlet, Prince Hamlet murders Polonius and Claudius, while causing the deaths of Rosencrantz, Guildenstern, Ophelia, Laertes and Gertrude. In The Bluest Eye, Cholly rapes her own daughter, Pecola. In their respective works, Shakespeare and Morrison do not offer answers to these questions. Rather, such actions raise questions of morality, forcing the reader to make their own judgments and genuinely engage with the text. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why violent video games should not be banned"?Get the original essayIn Hamlet, Prince Hamlet kills Polonius and Claudius, raising the question of whether "justifiable murder" can be justified. The initial source of Hamlet's murderous rampage is the command of his father's vengeful spirit, which reveals the truth behind the king's death and Claudius's betrayal. Prince Hamlet dedicates himself to avenging the death of the late King Hamlet, accidentally killing Polonius and ultimately killing Claudius. Societal norms dictate that murder is wrong and therefore Prince Hamlet's murders should be considered immoral and unjust. However, the play presents a situation in which the criminal (Claudius) would not be persecuted, since 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 vengeance against Claudius is justified and whether the people who died in his rampage are "acceptable victims." Since the play engages the reader to be a judge, the reader has a moral obligation to consider both sides: the morality of Prince Hamlet's actions and Prince Hamlet's own obligations to take revenge on the man who wronged him as well as the kingdom. In 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 murder of Claudius prevented the king from committing murder with impunity. Shakespeare's deliberate ambiguity on the matter allows the reader to consider for themselves the justice of Prince Hamlet's actions. In The Bluest Eye, Cholly rapes her daughter Pecola, bringing the societal taboo of incest to the forefront of the novel. Cholly's abandonment and emotional distress provide context for her actions (155), but the reader must decide whether and to what extent Cholly's background excuses her 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 does not offer a conclusive position, forcing the reader to judge the issue. 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 her 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 assumptions based on the facts presented. Such a strategy forces the reader to analyze the text more closely and think about the implications beyond the pages of the novel. Keep in mind: this.