Hamlet And Claude Essay, Research Paper

In the drama? Hamlet? by William Shakespeare, the character of Claude is a

near perfect illustration of a Machiavellian character. Claude began as the brother

to King Hamlet, half-brother to Queen Gertrude and Uncle to Prince Hamlet.

However this state of affairs evidently does non suite Claude so he takes steps to

alteration it. After making what he had to excessively go King, Claude? s brother is

dead, he is married to Gertrude and Prince Hamlet is now his son-in-law. In this

manner he has demonstrated the aureate regulation of Machiavelli. That regulation is to

obtain power by all agencies necessary and to maintain that power by all agencies

necessary. However after Claude additions his power he does non make a good occupation of

maintaining it. There are things Claude could of done to maintain a appreciation on the

Kingship that he does non make and the consequence is his decease. So in some ways Claude

is a perfect illustration of a Machiavellian character, but in other ways he is far

from it. As the drama begins, Claude has taken ownership of the Crown. ? The

snake that did biting thy male parent? s life now wears his crown. ? ( Hamlet, 29 ) Angstrom

shade of Old Hamlet has told Prince Hamlet and the audience how he died. His

brother poisoned him. This action entirely is barbarous but would non vouch the

Crown to Claude, for that to go on Claude must make more. ? With hilarity in

funeral and with coronach in matrimony, in equal graduated table weighing delectation and

dole-taken to wife. ? ( Hamlet, 10 ) To procure his place as King, Claude has

married Gertrude. Now he is married to the Queen, brother to the dead King and

an experient leader, the perfect pick for a new King. This is a good

place to step into because Old Hamlet was good like and Denmark was a

powerful state, so Claude? s Kingship would be heartily greeted. ? I say at

one time there are fewer troubles in keeping familial provinces, and those long

accustomed to the household of their prince? ? ( Machiavelli, 3 ) When a state is

used to the manner things are done by a peculiar household, any household member can be

easy accepted among the people, simple because of his name. Now that Claude

has usurped the place he so severely wanted from his brother, he needs an action

to solidify the procedure. Everyone is happy because Claude is at that place, but they

demand to be assured that he will be a good King. To guarantee the people Claude

sends a strong message to the boy of Fortinbras, who plans to pay war with

Denmark. ? He hath non failed to tease us with message importing the resignation

of those lands lost by his male parent, with all bonds of jurisprudence, to our most valorous

brother. So much for him. ? ( Hamlet, 10 ) Claude shows everyone that he is strong

by disregarding the? idle? menaces of Fortinbras. This shows that he will take,

and lead with strength. Like a true Machiavellian character, Claude has done all

things necessary to obtain his power, and has begun to make the things necessary

to maintain the power. The lone job is that Claude does non go on as strong

as he began. He did make all that he must to obtain his power. He killed his

brother, married his brother? s married woman and showed discourtesy to his enemies in

forepart of his people. However when the clip comes to maintain

his power, he is non as

decisive. ? For your purpose in traveling back to school in Wittenberg, it is most

retrograde to our desire, and we beseech you bend you to stay here in the

cheer and comfort of our eye. ? ( Hamlet, 13 ) Claude petitions of his new boy that

he stays in the castle with them. This was his first error. Claude took the

thrown non merely from his brother but from his nephew Hamlet every bit good. This means

that Hamlet is in direct competition for the Crown and therefore an enemy of Claude.

For those grounds he should of instantly killed Hamlet, or at the really least

allowed him to go forth the land and ne’er let him to return. Claude nevertheless

does non and from so on his yearss will be numbered. When Hamlet finds out about

how his male parent had died, he sets a class to kill Hamlet. Part of this class is

to feign to be huffy so as to throw his enemies off. ? But since the King? s

witting guilt and panic might moderately hold created a misgiving of Hamlet,

and that misgiving and a desire of security induced him to see his

decease? ? ( Lennox, 81 ) The lunacy that Hamlet pretends to be sing

disturbs Claude, and justly so. He knows that the violent death of Hamlet? s male parent

would be ground for retaliation, and a brainsick Hamlet is more likely to finish that

action than a sane one, so why would Claude still waver to extinguish his

enemy? In the beginning Claude? s actions are really much like that of a

Machiavellian character, but as the drama progresses he becomes more and more

like a weak leader who is to confused to work out any of his jobs. ? The Queen

his female parent lives about by his expressions? ? ( Hamlet, 115 ) Claude? s alibi for

non acquiring rid of his enemy is that Gertrude would be upset. But if she were to

become that so she as good would be an enemy and eliminated. ? I say that

every prince ought to want to be considered clement and non cruel.

However he ought to take attention non to misapply this clemency. ? ( Mahciavelli,

23 ) Claude has become excessively concerned with looking nice and sort and has lost

path of his end to maintain the power he has obtained. Claude nevertheless regains his

finding and sets a program to kill off Hamlet. ? For that intent I? ll

anoint my blade. I brought a smarm of charlatan? a goblet for the time being,

whereon but sipping, if he by opportunity flight your venomed stuck? ? ( Hamlet,

119-120 ) Claude and his new tool, Laertes have devised off to free themselves of

Hamlet. Hamlet and Laertes will fence, Laertes with a poisoned blade and if that

does non kill him, so Claude with a poisoned drink will kill Hamlet. Claude

has forgotten his misled dependance on people like Gertrude and has resolved to

kill his enemy like a Machiavellian character would. Throughout the drama

? Hamlet? by William Shakespeare, Claude plays the function of a Machiavellian

character. He does what he has to excessively obtain the coveted power, and in the terminal

does what he must to maintain it, although to no help. There are a few cases

where Claude strays from the way, but he corrects his errors and does, or at

least attempts to make what he must to procure his place. So for the bulk of

the clip Claude is the perfect illustration of a Machiavellian character.