Hamlet is an example of someone who values lives differently from person to person. In regards to his father, he valued his life very highly. So high, in fact, that he felt the need to avenge his death. In addition, by avenging the death of his father he shows how little he valued Claudius's life. In Hamlet's To Be or Not to Be speech he has a very negative outlook on life and values it very little, “for who would bear the whips and scorns of time, Th’ oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely/ the pangs of despised love, the law's delay (...)” (Shakespeare). While I disagree with his sense of hopelessness towards life I do agree that some people's lives are woth more than others based on their impact on the world.
In the article “What is a Life is Worth?”, Ripley explains how the courts value lives even though she rightfully believes that it is impossible to put a price tag on a life. “Isn't it degrading to presume that money can make a family whole again” (Ripley), she's explaining how no amount of money can replace the love of a family member. Ripely does a good job in showing why determining a value for a life is so difficult by explaining each of the complex factors that the courts must take into account when coming up with that magic