The King’s Fear: An Analysis of Hamlet’s Claudius American author‚ John Steinbeck once said “Power does not corrupt. Fear corrupts... perhaps the fear of a loss of power.” The theme of corruption is demonstrated in Hamlet by a series of events that lead to devastating decay. The “beginning of the end” is caused by Claudius‚ the present king of Denmark‚ Gertrude’s new spouse‚ and Hamlet’s uncle. Claudius is an intelligent antagonist whose Machiavellian plan of fratricide and his thirst for
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by Machiavelli highlights how one should be obeyed and maintain power. In Shakespeare’s Hamlet‚ these characteristics are shown between the main characters‚ Hamlet and Claudius. This tragedy is a battle of a king in power and one trying to dethrone him. In the end‚ Claudius displays a better resemblance of a Machiavellian leader. Machiavelli defines a successful leader as charismatic‚ inventive‚ manipulative and willful; than a benevolent‚ kind prince . Hamlet possesses some of these qualities such as
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integrity amongst the central characters in Hamlet‚ causing key relationships within the play to be underscored by a desire for self-gain. However‚ the essential catalyst of the conflict within Hamlet can be attributed to the heinous usurper‚ Claudius‚ whose Machiavellian schemes form the basis of the plot. This triggers the eponymous Hamlet’s search for the truth by assuming his “antic disposition” to avenge his father’s death. Subsequently‚ an audience may question and redefine acceptable moral boundaries
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of his father. Hamlet invites his mother and Claudius to watch. As the play draws to an end‚ Claudius begins to act very suspiciously‚ rushing off after watching the murder scene: Give me some light-away! (Act 3 Scene 2‚ lines 240) His actions once more point towards his obvious guilt. Shortly afterwards on his way to his mothers quarters‚ Hamlet comes across Claudius in prayer. This is the first time that Hamlet has seen Claudius alone and he is given a perfect opportunity to
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reason exacerbated through underlying tension. The device of the Ghost initially symbolises the disruption of the Great Chain of Being on which the Elizabethan society of the epoch was founded due to the tension created by the passionate crime of Claudius for the throne. The Ghost explicitly introduces these concepts through its initial contact with Hamlet and its repetitious‚ blunt language ‘So art thou to revenge‚ when thou shalt hear.’ Hamlet’s love for his father allows him to inherit this want
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world of Denmark through the act of murder reveals him to hastily reconcile his Renaissance values within the depraved medieval place. The Renaissance period consisted of a widely followed concept known as ‘The Great Chain of Being’‚ thereby Claudius’ Machiavellian act of regicide brings great upheaval and schisms between the two bodies of kingship as natural and politic. This is signified by the appearance of King Hamlet’s ghost in the first scene‚ instigating Marcellus’ claim ‘something is rotten in
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Literary works that came out of Italy during the Renaissance influenced English writers of the Shakespearean era in how and what they wrote. Renaissance philosophy was a hallmark example of what influenced writers of that time period‚ often inspiring writers to break out of literary grooves set by the norms of yore and assert criticisms of authority‚ using satire or overly-dramatic tales as vehicles for said criticisms. In a similar fashion‚ various literary analysts have asserted that Shakespeare’s
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translated as tragic flaw. There is also some increase in awareness and a sense of discovery upon the part of the tragic hero. Hamlet’s biggest flaw in character is that he over philosophises and delays killing Claudius up until it is too late for his family and himself. After he decides Claudius is guilty of murdering his father‚ he still relents from taking his revenge‚ he says “Haste me to know ‘t‚ that I‚ with wings as swift/ As meditation or the thought of love/ May sweep to my revenge.” (Act I
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One can find that‚ looking at all the lines she has in the play‚ they are often simply affirmations to what men have said or ordered her to do. One can see‚ for example‚ that as Claudius and Polonius were plotting to find Hamlet’s love for Ophelia‚ that when Claudius asks Gertrude to leave‚ she simply says “I shall obey you” (Shakespeare 3.1.1725). Additionally‚ one can see the powerlessness portrayed within Gertrude when Hamlet begins to berate her in her bedroom‚ attacking
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father to revenge Claudius due to his thinking‚ Shakespeare creates a “one part wisdom and ever three parts coward” out of him; he is willing to cause pain and heartbreak in a bid to ensure his mother regrets her actions. In this instance Gertrude does not confess her wrongdoings but does admit that Hamlet’s words are ‘like daggers to [her] ears’‚ suggesting that his words are indeed stronger than previous actions against her. When the audience is first introduced to Claudius in Act 1 Scene 2
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