Why Does Shakespeare Use Of Manipulation In Hamlet

727 Words3 Pages
With self-serving power comes a vicious cycle of manipulation for cynical reasons. When one who is in power hopes to gain something for themselves they often manipulate people for cynical reasons. In Shakespeare’s 1603 play Hamlet, three powerful characters use their power to manipulate people into believing something or gaining information about another character. Through these three characters, Shakespeare sends a clear message that when one has a great power they may cynically misuse it for selfish reasons. With power comes influence and with influence comes persuasion. Polonius a character who is more worried about his own reputation than that of his sons uses manipulation to get one of his workers [Reynaldo] to spread rumors…show more content…
That is something that prince Hamlet know quite well. Hamlet a character who uses manipulation in an entirely different way than Claudius and Polonius who used manipulation to retrieve information, Hamlet uses manipulation to play mad. While Polonius and Claudius “spy” on the young prince, Hamlet purposely pretends to have gone mad. During a conversation with Polonius, Hamlet acts as though he is deranged and Polonius catches on claiming that, “He is far gone. And truly, in my/ youth, I suffered much extremity for love, very near/ this” (2.2.206-207). While Hamlet is not exactly mad in love he seems to have gotten his point across, to further his point he continues to play mad and Polonius voices, “Though this be madness, yet there is/ method in’t” (2.2.23-24).Still Hamlet pushes even farther to prove to Polonius and not to his knowledge Claudius that he has gone insane. After making an allusion to his death, Polonius states, “How/ pregnant sometimes his replies are! a happiness/ that often madness hits on, which reason and / {sanity} could not so prosperously be delivered of” (2.2.227-229). Hamlet manipulates his step-father/uncle and Polonius for the selfish reason of claiming
Show More
Related

  • Identity In Hamlet

    4077 Words  | 17 Pages

    Jet Ryan P. Nicolas Mr. E.P. Salazar Composition IV 15 January 2014 The Hamlet of Identity Politics Identity is an essential part of an individual; it encapsulates the very definition, self-worth, sense of self, and firm continuity of individuals. This identity is often described by what it is not; the holders of it determine what their identity really is. They dictate the very essence of their identity, their description; they exclude people or groups of people from their identity, calling them

    Read More

  • Polonuis 'Adjectives In Hamlet'

    3400 Words  | 14 Pages

    Polonuis is one of the first people to call Hamlet mad and at times tries to take his own life experience and compare them to Hamlet. Polonius is very much a catalyst to a lot of the unnecessary blood loss. He describes Hamlet as, “Come, go with me. I will go seek the King. This is the very ecstasy of love, Whose Violent property fordoes itself and leads the will to desperate undertakings as oft as any passion under heaven that does afflict our natures…” (Hamlet,2.1:102-108). It is plain to see that Polonuis

    Read More

More about Why Does Shakespeare Use Of Manipulation In Hamlet

Open Document