Essay On Demonstrating Power In Hamlet
Performance as a means of Demonstrating Power in Politics
In this essay, I shall explain how Shakespeare displays performance as a technique used to demonstrate power (as opposed to gaining power) through metatheatricality and literal performance in The Tempest, and again with ‘The Mousetrap’ in Hamlet. I will also compare this with the 2nd Earl of Rochester’s (John Wilmot) self-performance in playing the role as a libertine in order to demonstrate his own power and success. This theme of self-performance will be further demonstrated with an extract from The Diary of Samuel Pepys and the lawmakers of his day. I will explain how demonstrating power is the main goal for the series of politicians quoted in this essay, as an intimidation (or defense) …show more content…
(3.1.165-176)
Hamlet has achieved his goal of appearing dangerous to the king. Claudius is fearful of what Hamlet has in store for him, and seeks to send him away. By displaying his powerful intellect, performing, he has become a dramatic warrior against the king.
But it is not only the eyes of Polonius and Claudius watching the exchange which Hamlet seeks to impress with his dominance of Ophelia; Titlestad envisions Hamlet as a ‘populist politician’ who must ‘express the savagery of which [he] is capable [...] must crackle with personality and get a cackle from the mob [the audience in the theatre], for whom disrespect is fun’ (Titlestad 2013 p. 44). Hamlet is an actor at heart, caring only to follow the script which the ghost of his father has provided for him: ‘Honor calls for him to make a show’. Performing ‘to create a favorable appearance in the eyes of others [in essence, the ‘mob’]’ (O’Neill p. 126) is the only way which Hamlet can achieve his end-goal, and he knows that utilising his power as future King of Denmark will be key to his …show more content…
As in Hamlet, Sedley recognises that to become the ‘populist politician’ (Titlestad 2013) he must address the mob and try to impress them with wit or humour -- however, he seems to fail in this as he was fined ‘5000l [£500]’ (Pepys, Gyford 1663), and it is hard to believe that anybody would relate to seeing somebody perform obscene acts and bragging whilst holding (presumably) expensive wine. It is interesting that throughout this essay it has been found that it is people involved in politics who seek to perform to display their power the most. Prospero is a banished ruler, Hamlet is a prince who seeks to avenge his father, Rochester is a member of the court, and Pepys writes of Sedley who was a Member of Parliament at the time, and later became Speaker of the House of
In this essay, I shall explain how Shakespeare displays performance as a technique used to demonstrate power (as opposed to gaining power) through metatheatricality and literal performance in The Tempest, and again with ‘The Mousetrap’ in Hamlet. I will also compare this with the 2nd Earl of Rochester’s (John Wilmot) self-performance in playing the role as a libertine in order to demonstrate his own power and success. This theme of self-performance will be further demonstrated with an extract from The Diary of Samuel Pepys and the lawmakers of his day. I will explain how demonstrating power is the main goal for the series of politicians quoted in this essay, as an intimidation (or defense) …show more content…
(3.1.165-176)
Hamlet has achieved his goal of appearing dangerous to the king. Claudius is fearful of what Hamlet has in store for him, and seeks to send him away. By displaying his powerful intellect, performing, he has become a dramatic warrior against the king.
But it is not only the eyes of Polonius and Claudius watching the exchange which Hamlet seeks to impress with his dominance of Ophelia; Titlestad envisions Hamlet as a ‘populist politician’ who must ‘express the savagery of which [he] is capable [...] must crackle with personality and get a cackle from the mob [the audience in the theatre], for whom disrespect is fun’ (Titlestad 2013 p. 44). Hamlet is an actor at heart, caring only to follow the script which the ghost of his father has provided for him: ‘Honor calls for him to make a show’. Performing ‘to create a favorable appearance in the eyes of others [in essence, the ‘mob’]’ (O’Neill p. 126) is the only way which Hamlet can achieve his end-goal, and he knows that utilising his power as future King of Denmark will be key to his …show more content…
As in Hamlet, Sedley recognises that to become the ‘populist politician’ (Titlestad 2013) he must address the mob and try to impress them with wit or humour -- however, he seems to fail in this as he was fined ‘5000l [£500]’ (Pepys, Gyford 1663), and it is hard to believe that anybody would relate to seeing somebody perform obscene acts and bragging whilst holding (presumably) expensive wine. It is interesting that throughout this essay it has been found that it is people involved in politics who seek to perform to display their power the most. Prospero is a banished ruler, Hamlet is a prince who seeks to avenge his father, Rochester is a member of the court, and Pepys writes of Sedley who was a Member of Parliament at the time, and later became Speaker of the House of