Forgiveness

 I must be cruel, only to be kind: Thus bad begins and worse remains behind. 

-Hamlet Act III Scene IV

In my intermediate Theatre class we have been studying Shakespeare and most recently, Hamlet. A big portion of our study was the theme of revenge and the effects of revenge throughout the story. Also, we discussed the opposite scenario dealing with forgiveness. As I was grading their final quiz, I found these questions to be particularly thought-provoking- (I am summarizing here)-
Put yourself in Hamlet's shoes... do you think he was justified in his actions?... Do you think Hamlet should have forgiven his Uncle?... What do you think the outcome would have been in Hamlet focused on forgiveness rather than revenge?...
Their responses were fascinating. Some people felt like Hamlet was justified and they too would have resorted to the same actions if put in the same situation. Some felt like Hamlet should have found a way to forgive his Uncle. Some felt mixed feelings about Hamlet's situation. Another interesting observation was that those students who are openly religious were more likely to express the need for Hamlet to forgive the situation...
Yes, Hamlet's case is extreme (I mean how many of us have an Uncle who murders our Father and marries our Mother?...) But, studying the play brought about an interesting discussion on the power of forgiveness and the poison of revenge. And yet sometimes, we as human beings spend so much time holding onto grudges and negative feelings, when it is much sweeter to forgive.
One of my favorite songs is from the Broadway musical, Jane Eyre, entitled, "Forgiveness"

You mustn't be revengeful
You have to be strong
To offer good for evil
Return right for wrong
We must not hold a grudge
And we must learn to endure
Then as God is your judge
At least your heart will be pure
Forgiveness
Is the mightiest sword
Forgiveness of those you hate
Will be your highest reward
When they bruise you with words
When they make you feel small
When it's hardest to bear
You must do nothing at all
Forgiveness
Is the simplest vow
Forgiveness
Of all their crimes
Is your deliverance now
Bless those souls
Who would curse your name
When the last bell tolls
You'll be free of blame
You can continue to grieve
But know the Gospel is true
You must forgive those who lie
And bless them that curse you
Forgiveness
Is the mightiest sword
Forgiveness of those you hate
Will be your highest reward
The time will come when we will leave this world,
and then the injustice and the pain and the sin will fall away from us,
and only the spark of the spirit will remain - returning to God who created it
You must never lose faith
You must never lose heart
God will restore your trust
And I know you're afraid
I'm as scared as you are
But willing to be brave
Brave enough for love 

Forgiveness is probably the most powerful thing we can ever do in this life. Just my random thought for the evening. By the way, the new David Tennant version  of Hamlet is awesome and probably my favorite film adaptation of the work. Even my students found it interesting and engaging! YAY!