Pre-Read Thoughts

What if you had the inclination that your stepfather murdered your real father? Well the what ifs for that question range substantially: what if you hated your father? what if you loved your stepfather? what if it was an accident? what if your mother put him up to it? what if this all happened years ago and you are just now coming home to find this mess, yet it's already been cleaned up? I'm going to say, inferring from the rest of the questions, that Hamlet loved his father, loves his mother, had a very happy family life before he departed, and although he's been gone, he's returned with enough grace time left that any undetermined business with his father's death and his mother's new marriage, can be uncovered and fixed. If it were me? Well then I'd try and prove that this new man in my mother's life is the reason that my father died. Proof is necessary, as to not hurt my mother again. No need to drag out the agony of her husband's death, again, if there is no need. Once I have the proof, however, that my stepfather is in fact the murderer, I get vengeance. I wouldn't use the court system, I would use my own determination and power to put my stepfather in his place. Of course, we are assuming, that I have a clique of friends that are at my side ready to battle. Start with subtle black mail, keep bringing things that should remind him of the murder, into his daily life, so that he begins to feel guilty. Once the guilt seems to be eating at him, start turning people against him. Find relations like employers or golf buddies (we are assuming this is in my time period, not Shakespeare's) and begin spreading word of him being a bad guy (not necessarily a murderer because I don't trust these common people not to go to the cops). Once he is completely ostracized, begin having people around him that are still close (for example my mother and myself) to begin questioning him on the murder, and really on the legitimacy of anything he does. If at this point, the guilt and seclusion doesn't force him either, into exile or into confession, I bring him out publicly on the count of my father's murder. At this point, with practically a whole community against him, it will be easy to punish him for his deed, and of course, force him out of the marriage with my mother. Punishment should be severe, after dealing with me and my personal rage (perhaps at some point before trial I take him into a dark alley with some of my friends and really give him something to think about), he'll end up going to jail, for a extremely long time. Hopefully the mental damage of what I've done, as well as the fact he isn't married, has no friends, has no more freedom...he'd get the message.