Over four hundred years ago, William Shakespeare composed his lengthiest play, The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark. This poignant work narrates the tragic tale of a family torn apart by deceit. It is Prince Hamlet’s quest for revenge that guides readers through his overwhelming struggles to escape the reality of life in Denmark. His father, King Hamlet is dead; meanwhile, his mom has intensified her son’s struggles through her marriage to Cladius, Prince Hamlet’s uncle. Through the play’s five acts, readers become intimately aware of the leadership styles, personal flaws, and individual strengths that exemplify the lives of King Hamlet, Claudius, and Prince Hamlet. To begin, a leader has a responsibility to command others through
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To begin, King Hamlet is persistent. He finds a way to return from death as a ghost. Able to escape purgatory for only a short time period, he focuses on avenging his death, directing his son’s future steps, and evoking the sympathy of those people he visits. When visiting his son, he states: “If thou didst ever thy dear father love…/ Revenge his foul and most unnatural murder” (Act 1, scene 5). Clearly, his ability to promote revenge from the afterlife exemplifies his influential role as a father. In comparison to King Hamlet, Claudius seems to also motivate people to do as he wants. He is charming and able to win the heart and affections of a woman whose husband he murdered. He is clairvoyant in setting his sights on the throne, a new bride, and even attempts to mentor his step son in overcoming his father’s death. Through his social adeptness and charming demeanor, Claudius even speaks passionately about love in Act 4, scene 7: “…I know love is begun by time, And that I see, in passages of proof, Time qualifies the spark and fire of it. There lives within the very flame of love…” Without question, one must recognize Claudius for the ambitious man that he is. Meanwhile, Prince Hamlet is a combination of the determination and intelligence exemplified by his father. In Act 1, scene 2, Hamlet toys with the idea of committing suicide, but realizes that his religion forbids this act. Clearly, this shows his intelligence and ability to think things through, rather than simply acting out impulsively. In evaluating potentially taking his own life, he speaks the most quoted words from Hamlet: “To be or not to be: that is the question” (Act 3, scene 1). Meanwhile, Prince Hamlet also possesses the witty communication skills illustrated by Claudius, noting: “Little more than kin, and less
To begin, King Hamlet is persistent. He finds a way to return from death as a ghost. Able to escape purgatory for only a short time period, he focuses on avenging his death, directing his son’s future steps, and evoking the sympathy of those people he visits. When visiting his son, he states: “If thou didst ever thy dear father love…/ Revenge his foul and most unnatural murder” (Act 1, scene 5). Clearly, his ability to promote revenge from the afterlife exemplifies his influential role as a father. In comparison to King Hamlet, Claudius seems to also motivate people to do as he wants. He is charming and able to win the heart and affections of a woman whose husband he murdered. He is clairvoyant in setting his sights on the throne, a new bride, and even attempts to mentor his step son in overcoming his father’s death. Through his social adeptness and charming demeanor, Claudius even speaks passionately about love in Act 4, scene 7: “…I know love is begun by time, And that I see, in passages of proof, Time qualifies the spark and fire of it. There lives within the very flame of love…” Without question, one must recognize Claudius for the ambitious man that he is. Meanwhile, Prince Hamlet is a combination of the determination and intelligence exemplified by his father. In Act 1, scene 2, Hamlet toys with the idea of committing suicide, but realizes that his religion forbids this act. Clearly, this shows his intelligence and ability to think things through, rather than simply acting out impulsively. In evaluating potentially taking his own life, he speaks the most quoted words from Hamlet: “To be or not to be: that is the question” (Act 3, scene 1). Meanwhile, Prince Hamlet also possesses the witty communication skills illustrated by Claudius, noting: “Little more than kin, and less