Hamlet Themes

Abuse of Authority
There are various aspects of abuse of power in Shakespeare’s play, Hamlet. Claudius is ready to do all that is within his means to ensure that he ascends to the throne and retains power. After plotting the death of his brother, King Hamlet, Claudius uses the authority bestowed on him to eliminate any potential threat. King Hamlet’s son, Hamlet, was his primary threat and Claudius purposely torments him to ensure that he does not dethrone him. When Claudius realizes that Hamlet had already known that he was the mastermind behind his father’s death, he requests Polonius to spy on Hamlet. Polonius was supposed to inform Claudius about what Hamlet was planning.
Claudius was seeking any possible means to ensure that he eliminated Hamlet before he decided to avenge his father. When Claudius sends Hamlet to England, he summons Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to accompany him. The two were supposed to spy on him and inform Claudius. Guildenstern assures Claudius that, “and here we give up ourselves, in the full bent, to lay our services freely at your feet, to be commanded” (Shakespeare, 1806, 45). Additionally, the letter that Claudius wrote requested England to execute his son-in-law, Hamlet. (Shakespeare, 1806). Unfortunately, this plan was unsuccessful because Hamlet managed to return home. Claudius felt insecure and threatened by Hamlet’s return and therefore plotted how Laertes would kill him during a fight. In a nutshell, Claudius organized for …