Loyalty to King and country, that is to say royalty, has historically been of paramount importance to every citizen regardless of rank or station and is exemplified in Shakespeare's Hamlet. The philosophy of the divine right of kings and the natural balance of power move Hamlet into action to avenge his father's murder and set his nation, as well has his life, back to order. He accomplishes this task though various means, though all in proportion with his end in settling with Claudius, solving differences with his mother and in sizing up his friendship with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern.

Hamlet is at first understandably dismayed and mournful to hear of his father's death but when he first learns of his father's murder, Hamlet swears to avenge his murder in the lines:

Yea, from the table of my memory

I'll wipe away all trivial fond records,

All saws of books...