Power In Hamlet

Life is short and many people take that for granted. Some people think life will last forever, but then they grow up and wish they would have done more when they were younger. Today, there are two types of people. People who struggle beneath others and people who seek to gain power over others. In Shakespeare’s play, Hamlet, Claudius is a character who seeks to gain power over the country as he kills the previous King, marries the Queen, and tries to keep Hamlet out of his way in remaining to be King. In Hamlet, Claudius has become the King of Denmark and married the Queen, Gertrude. Whereas in the beginning of the play, Claudius is talking to his men about the death of his brother and about his marriage to the Queen. The speech continues …show more content…
(1.5.32-39)
The quote reveals Claudius is the murderer of the King and has stolen the crown for personal gain. The scene then sets the play in motion as Hamlet has declared to take revenge on Claudius for his father. Further in the play, Hamlet comes across Claudius praying for forgiveness in killing his brother and staining his hands with his brother’s blood. Therefore, the scene proves to us that Claudius is the true killer. As, he shows his remorse for killing his brother, Hamlet decides to wait longer in taking his revenge. Through those parts in the play, the readers learn a huge key to the murder and can see that Claudius is willing to do anything to be King. Similarly by getting rid of the previous King, Claudius plans to send Hamlet to England and kill him off. Claudius and Polonius have a private talk about sending Hamlet away so that he is out of the King’s way and not ruin his plans:
Thus set it down: he shall with speed to England for the demand of our neglected tribute. Haply the seas, and countries different, with variable objects, shall expel this something-settled matter in his heart, whereon his brains still beating puts him thus from fashion of himself. What think you