Claudius As A Great Leader In William Shakespeare's Hamlet

When I think of Claudius, the cliché “All is fair in love and war” comes to mind. Claudius, right or wrong, obviously thought of himself as a better leader than his brother and took drastic action to prove it. Claudius secretly murdered his brother, King Hamlet, and then married the dead king’s wife, Gertrude, consequently becoming the new king of Denmark. Though murder is not how I would approach the situation, I cannot say this sole act made Claudius a poor leader. Many great leaders have gained their positions through murder and war; furthermore, Claudius did seem to be acting in good faith on behalf of Denmark. However, to say he was a truly a good leader is difficult, as he killed his own brother and young Hamlet to secure his position - as short-lived as it was.
A great leader is someone who inspires, teaches, and guides others. They motivate people to unite with them and work toward a common goal; most often resulting in some form of mutual reward.
However, throughout history and still in current times there are several infamous “great leaders” that could also be considered unjust and extremely cruel. Thus a great leader, in many cases, is held in high regard only by the supporter(s) of their cause. …show more content…
Several are revered as great leaders of charitable causes or through their vocation or even a random act that positively influences others. Parents, however, are the most fundamental examples of potential great leaders. Though quality of leadership is subjective, regardless, children depend on their parents to inspire, teach, and guide them with hopes of preparing them for the best chance at life. Therefore, I believe parenting is the very foundation of great leadership and is where I have chosen to put into practice some of my best leadership