“You get what you get and you don’t get upset.” At a young age, children are generally taught the importance of being grateful for the things they possess. In the process, parents also undermine greed, an intense desire for excessive wealth, power, or food. Without a doubt, greed brings forth more consequences than benefits to an individual. In this regard, it is no coincidence that Shakespeare’s Hamlet illustrates the undesirable outcome of avaricious characters. More specifically, an emerging theme in Acts I-II of the tragic play is that greed corrupts one’s fidelity to their morals and distorts their value system. This theme is developed by speculating how greed plagues meaningful relationships and the overall quality of life of covetous
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His regicide of King Hamlet Senior, to attain his brother’s position, is a definitive indication that one’s greed can oversee the significant relationships in their life. In the play, the ghost of Hamlet Senior discloses Claudius’ wrongdoings to Hamlet by stating, “Upon my secure hour thy uncle stole / With juice of cursed hebenon in a vial / And in the porches of my ears did pour / The leperous distilment, whose effect / Holds such an enmity with blood of man” (1.5.61-65). Evidently, Claudius sacrifices his relationship with his brother and commits a sin against his belief to appease his desperation for power. In the quotation, Hamlet Senior uses words such as “stole” and “cursed,” both words with extremely negative and threatening connotations. This works to elucidate the dangerous consequences that are caused by an individual whose life is consumed by greed. Moreover, Claudius’ greed for power not only results in the murder of his brother, but also in the engagement of incestuous behavior. In the same occasion, Hamlet Senior reveals, “Ay [Claudius], that incestuous, that adulterate beast” (1.5.42). It is Claudius’ greed that drives him to take these immoral measures as it blinds him from his moral
His regicide of King Hamlet Senior, to attain his brother’s position, is a definitive indication that one’s greed can oversee the significant relationships in their life. In the play, the ghost of Hamlet Senior discloses Claudius’ wrongdoings to Hamlet by stating, “Upon my secure hour thy uncle stole / With juice of cursed hebenon in a vial / And in the porches of my ears did pour / The leperous distilment, whose effect / Holds such an enmity with blood of man” (1.5.61-65). Evidently, Claudius sacrifices his relationship with his brother and commits a sin against his belief to appease his desperation for power. In the quotation, Hamlet Senior uses words such as “stole” and “cursed,” both words with extremely negative and threatening connotations. This works to elucidate the dangerous consequences that are caused by an individual whose life is consumed by greed. Moreover, Claudius’ greed for power not only results in the murder of his brother, but also in the engagement of incestuous behavior. In the same occasion, Hamlet Senior reveals, “Ay [Claudius], that incestuous, that adulterate beast” (1.5.42). It is Claudius’ greed that drives him to take these immoral measures as it blinds him from his moral