The tragedy of Hamlet presents a series of interrelations between Claudius and Gertrude and Hamlet and Fortinbras, Hamlet and Claudius and Gertrude and Ophelia, and Old Hamlet and Hamlet, that delves into the nature of the human condition and the examination of Marxism in societal relationships. Although Shakespeare wrote Hamlet two and a half centuries before Karl Marx wrote his masterpiece, Das Kapital, he proceeded to scrutinize the bourgeoisie and their control over the means of production in society. The plot of the tragedy of Hamlet focuses in on the perpetual class conflicts over the means of production. Through a Marxist lens, the audience understands the inconsistencies and implications of the socialist revolution, its flaws, and the
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The audience always must examine what exists, who lies and the nature of deception. Through a Marxist lens, the means of production could be control and sanity within the mind. Old Hamlet represents the bourgeoisie and Hamlet represents the proletariat. The class conflict takes place within Hamlet, as he struggles to take action according to his superior or to take action on his own accord. After Hamlet’s first encounter with the ghost, Hamlet completely devotes himself to his father’s cause saying “from the table of my memory, I’ll wipe away all trivial fond records, all saws of books, all forms, all pressures past and thy commandment all alone shall live unmixed with baser matter.” (1.V.100-105). However, the class conflict, the fight for possession of control of the mind, causes him to question his father’s suggestions. For instance rather than killling Claudius like he said that he would, he resorts to indecison and rather than "drink[ing] hot blood and doing such bitter business as the day would quake to look on, [he goes] soft, to [his] mother." (3.II.354-356). For not taking action, Hamlet faces criticism from his father "[to] not forget [his] visitation, to whet [his] almost blunted purpose." (3.IV.111-112). Unlike Fortinbras, Hamlet can not make a decision and can not full devote himself to a cause becase "of thinking too precisely on th ' event, athought which, quarter 'd, hath but one part wisdom and ever three parts coward" (4.IV.41-43). He fails to sacrifice all of himself to the cause, to listen to Marx’s famous proclamation from the Communist Manifesto, “workers of the world, unite. You have nothing to lose but your chains!” (Communist Manifesto). Hamlet 's indecision and fear, result in the death of part of the proletariat near the end of the tragedy. Marx believes that all the proletariat needs is a decision to fight. In his work, the Holy Family, Marx says “it is not a
The audience always must examine what exists, who lies and the nature of deception. Through a Marxist lens, the means of production could be control and sanity within the mind. Old Hamlet represents the bourgeoisie and Hamlet represents the proletariat. The class conflict takes place within Hamlet, as he struggles to take action according to his superior or to take action on his own accord. After Hamlet’s first encounter with the ghost, Hamlet completely devotes himself to his father’s cause saying “from the table of my memory, I’ll wipe away all trivial fond records, all saws of books, all forms, all pressures past and thy commandment all alone shall live unmixed with baser matter.” (1.V.100-105). However, the class conflict, the fight for possession of control of the mind, causes him to question his father’s suggestions. For instance rather than killling Claudius like he said that he would, he resorts to indecison and rather than "drink[ing] hot blood and doing such bitter business as the day would quake to look on, [he goes] soft, to [his] mother." (3.II.354-356). For not taking action, Hamlet faces criticism from his father "[to] not forget [his] visitation, to whet [his] almost blunted purpose." (3.IV.111-112). Unlike Fortinbras, Hamlet can not make a decision and can not full devote himself to a cause becase "of thinking too precisely on th ' event, athought which, quarter 'd, hath but one part wisdom and ever three parts coward" (4.IV.41-43). He fails to sacrifice all of himself to the cause, to listen to Marx’s famous proclamation from the Communist Manifesto, “workers of the world, unite. You have nothing to lose but your chains!” (Communist Manifesto). Hamlet 's indecision and fear, result in the death of part of the proletariat near the end of the tragedy. Marx believes that all the proletariat needs is a decision to fight. In his work, the Holy Family, Marx says “it is not a