The Hamlet Project

I find I am confused by the way revenge fits into religion. Like, do you get a pass for murder if you’re doing it for revenge?
Because Hamlet here is very concerned for Claudius’ soul but has no real concern for his own. Like – wouldn’t it better to kill Claudius now if he’s going to do it? Won’t his own set of sins be slightly reduced by doing his murdering at this moment?
It’s like two competing codes of ethics here – the Honor code, which would seem to be in direct opposition to the Religious order.
And yet they are also intertwined.
They sit a little uncomfortably next to one another – Religion probably not going so far as to say a murder done for revenge isn’t a sin – but probably giving more of a pass in this area than would seem QUITE right in the Thou Shalt Not Kill department.
And then Revenge – which is not only concerned with a violent kind of redemption – but which is also seemingly concerned with the souls of the murdered.
The two ways are both ancient and have probably been doing this funny little dance for ages. Old primal urges competing and cooperating.