Sacrifice of Values to Please Authority in Shakespeares...

Sacrifice of Values to Please Authority in Shakespeares Hamlet It seems that it is human nature to want to please others, but compromising ones values in order to do so can result in people getting hurt emotionally or physically. In William Shakespeares Hamlet, the desire to please those in authority overweighs the judgment of many characters. These characters are more interested in pleasing those in power than doing what is in their best interest. This is seen in Polonious eager attempt to use Ophelia, in Rosencrantz and Guildensterns being coerced into spying on a good friend, and finally in Laertes all too easy manipulation by Claudius to take revenge on his fathers death. In all these instances, the characters put their†¦show more content†¦Polonious uses his daughter almost like one would use a horse, with his loosing of her and does so just to try and get on the good side of Claudius and Gertrude. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern also looked to the King and Queen for approval. They didnt resort to the use of a daughter, but on the use of a close friendship. They used their bond with Hamlet to get information that the Court wanted. Claudius and Gertrude were very convincing in telling Rosencrantz and Guildenstern of how Hamlet was suffering, telling them that [Their] visitation shall receive such thanks as fits a kings remembrance (P.34). At first Rosencrantz and Guildenstern werent too keen on selling out their friend. But instead of standing up to the King and Queen, Guildenstern told them that we both obey and here give ourselves to be commanded (P.34). They were more interested in doing what was right in the eyes of the Royal Court than doing what right in their eyes. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern werent just Hamlets friends; they were greeted by Hamlet as his excellent good friends (P.40). Hamlet viewed them in the same regard as he viewed Horatio, one who Hamlet stayed with an d loved all through the play. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern didnt seem to care, and used this trust and love by their friend to please Claudius and Gertrude. This neglect of heart by these two characters was not something that they wanted to do for themselves, but something that they didShow MoreRelatedWilliam Shakespeare s Hamlet, Prince Of Denmark953 Words   |  4 PagesIn William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, Polonius is shown to be the bumbling counselor to King Claudius. He is considered a high class-citizen although he is below Hamlet and the king. When examined from a Marxist perspective, Polonius is often treated poorly by Hamlet because he is not in the same social rank as the prince; however, Polonius values his position as counselor highly and goes through great measures to assure that he keeps his job because it guarantees him a place in upperRead MoreSAT Top 30 Essay Evidence18536 Words   |  75 Pages.............................................. .................................... 25 Muhammad Ali (â€Å"The Greatest† boxer of all time) .................................................................................. 27 Fiction and Literature: Hamlet by William Shakespeare (â€Å"To be? Or not to be?†) ...................................................................... 29 Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling (Witches, Wizards, and Muggles!) .......................................................... 31