Comparing Claudius, Hamlet And Laertes In William Shakespeare's Hamlet

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Everyone dreams to live a successful life. Although success may have different meanings for each individual, it typically involves having a loving family, well reputed career, lots of money and fame. Unfortunately, people, impatient to attain their ideal life, often embrace shorter routes to their goals while overlooking their morals and ethics. This is shown through the actions of numerous characters, including Claudius, Hamlet and Laertes in William Shakespeare’s Hamlet. The play focuses on the characters’ instincts to embrace deception to achieve their goals and the negative consequences they must face for their rash decisions. The opening line, “Who’s there?”, of William Shakespeare’s play, Hamlet, shows that deception in the world, caused due to the selfishness and greed of humans, leads humans to their destruction and therefore humans must begin to…show more content…
Firstly, Shakespeare shows that humans intentionally make the choice of lying and cheating others to reach their motives. Starting off, under the greed for power and wealth, one embraces immoral acts such as betraying their friends and family. This is evident as Claudius betrays Old Hamlet and murders him for power. While recalling his evil deed of murdering Old Hamlet, he says, “‘Forgive me my foul murder’? / That cannot be, since I am still possessed / Of those effects for which I did the murder.” (3.3.55-57). Claudius repents killing his brother for power but at the same time is unable to let go of his greed. Despite knowing that he takes a wrong decision, he suppresses his guilt and continues to deceive those around him. Through this, Shakespeare shows that once an individual cheats others, they resort to lies to protect themselves from any punishment. Adding on, one
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