Brown 1

Dean Brown

Mrs. Jewell

ERWC 12: Period 2

18 March 2022

Hamlet’s Quest

Power, In William Shakespeare’s Hamlet we see you don’t need just a title to exert it.

Two months after the previous Kings hamlet's untimely death and our main protagonist and heir

to the throne, young Hamlet finds himself cast off as his uncle succeeds the throne. Although it

seems the rest of the kingdom has moved on and accepted the new king Hamlet retains his

understandably depressive and mourning state. He sulks throughout the castle with little to no

drive but when approached by his uncle now father we witness a new dynamic of a struggle for

power. As the apparent antagonist of the tragedy Claudis manipulative behavior pushes Hamlet

throughout the plot by insulting his key values of family, education, and faith.

Hamlet holds his father the late king in high regard, besides the fact they share a name he

demonstrates immense pride in his father. In Hamlet’s soliloquy we get a peek into his feeling as

he declares, “So excellent a king, that was to this/hyperon to a satyr; so loving to my mother”

(1.2.143-145). Not only does Hamlet express to us how he holds his father in high regard as a

leader and alert, he also reveals his opinions toward the new King Claudius. Comparing him to a

satyr, a lowly Greek mythical creature and instead his father to a Godly being. Although clearly

evident to the audience it seems to be apparent and Claudius as well, he takes every chance he

can to insult it. Though he never insults the late king directly he does in a metaphorical way, “In

filial obligation for some term/to do obsequious sorrow.” (1.2.95-96) Claudis expresses to

Hamlet that his grieving is unending and portrays it as something unnecessary; mourning,
 Brown 2

although typically practiced out of sorrow, is also done as a matter of respect. Not only does

Claudis' statement insult and disrupt the late king’s memory it provides more resentment for

young Hamlet. Even though this didn’t cause Hamlet to take immediate actions it gave him drive

and added to their struggle for power.

In Act 1 it is revealed that young Hamlet attended a college by the name of Wittenberg

but promptly left due to his father’s passing. Young Hamlet takes pride in his writing and values

his education. When conversing Clausdis critizies Hamlet’s intelligence, “An understanding

simple and unschooled./For what we know must be and is common” (1.2.101-102). When

Clausdis calls him dull minded, he insults him and also angers him. Not even moments later he

contradicts himself by asking Hamlet to not continue his schooling, “It is most retrograde to our

desire,/And we beseech you, bend you to remain” (1.2.118-119). He first signifies the power he

has over Hamlet due to him being uneducated but then ask him to remain that way

He admits in a soliloquy his faith has kept him from committing sucide, “His canon

gainst <self-slaughter!> O GOD, God.” (1.2.136). Hamlet's faith is an important factor in the

story as without it he would've killed himself in Act 1 from the sorrow. Claudius once again

never directly insults Hamlet's faith but insults it through what Hamlet states incestuious action:

“Ere yet the salt of most unrighteous tears' ' (1.2.159). Here he insults both his mother and

Claudis for their hasty grieving and once again Claudis is shown having an impact through

Hamlet just by his actions.

Hamlet doesn't take action until after he encounters his father’s ghost it would be safe to

assume he derives a majority of his drive from frustration caused by Claudis. Insulting his father,

education, and his religion propels our protagonist on his quest and makes an interesting set up

for the rest of the story.

 Brown 3

Work Cited

Shakespeare, William. Hamlet. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2012.

Commentary notes:

● Commentary

○ Definition

■ Adds personal/voice to an analysis

■ Personal explanation of the evidence provided

■ Elaboration on the evidence

■ Laser focus on a specific plot detail, character, action/word/theme

■ Reader interpretation

■ Provides connection between evidence and the main claim

 Brown 4

○ In Essays

■ Shows up after evidence

■ Support arguments

■ Can show up in Conclusion = summarize your analysis

● Summery

○ Definition

■ Retelling in own words

■ Vague description of the story

■ Quick Retelling

■ No original thought

○ In Essays

■ In essays typically found in the introduction

■ Lead in/signal phrase (context)

■ Paraphrasing = Evidence