Power. It is defined as the capacity or ability to direct or influence the behavior of others or the course of events. Throughout time, certain individuals have acquired power in their society as a way to govern and keep order among their community. Power is not a new concept; it was used in the past by many emperors, kings, and queens, and is still being used by presidents, prime ministers, and dictators. Although, it has been used to further progress societies into what the world is like today, not all power has been used for the best of mankind. But what goes awry to make power turn corrupt? In William Shakespeare's Hamlet, it is illustrated how power can turn corrupt, when authoritative figures, who possess power, abuse it for their personal gain, rather than for the common good of the society.
In general, the work shows the best and worst ends of power, by including contrasting ruling kingdoms that each have very different ways of using their power. The kingdoms in which power was not corrupt and was used to better the society as a whole include those of Fortinbras, as well as the kingdom where King Hamlet ruled before Claudius had intervened. It can be concluded that when King Hamlet was ruler, he led with a just hand and his power was not corrupt. Throughout the play it is mentioned that Prince Hamlet is deeply loved by the kingdom of Denmark, as seen in the following quote: “He’s loved of the distracted multitude” (IV.iii. 4). If the kingdom was ruled in a tyrannical manner, what reason would the people of Denmark have to adore young Prince Hamlet? As additional evidence, these words spoken between Prince Hamlet and Horatio further show that King Hamlet was a great ruler who did not let personal motives turn his power ...
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... and for the betterment of society. King Hamlet was able to be avenged by the killing of Claudius, and Fortinbras was crowned the king of Denmark. In contrast, Claudius, who used his power for personal reasons, did not succeed in the end, but rather died while he still needed to confess his sins, a fate similar to that of his brother.
To conclude, power itself is not corrupt by its nature. Power turns corrupt when people use it for their self-interests instead of for the good of many. Shakespeare shows that the corrupt power does not triumph with the death of Claudius as well as those affected by it, including Hamlet, Gertrude, Rosencrantz, Guildenstern, and Laertes. Overall, Shakespeare was trying to show that power is not corrupt until an individual abuses it for wrong reasons. It is man's free will that allows the human race to choose how power will be used.
What is power to a human? As time has gone by, there have been many forms of control and influence in the world. Many strive to achieve total rule over a society or group of individuals. Yet the question still presents itself to the average man. Why does man desire power so greatly even though there is visible trouble that follows? Shelley’s Frankenstein, Vonnegut’s “Harrison Bergeron”, and Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, whether through the situation or the character themselves, depict the evils and hardships due to an imbalance and poor management of power.
All people have power, some people are just more powerful than others. Having power is the ability to create change. Examples of power being used wrongly is during the French revolution, and the residential school crisis. During the French revolution, two examples were shown of people abusing their power. King Louie XVI raised taxes so that he could buy things that he and his wife Marie Antoinette wanted, and took away rights from the third estate. In the residential schools crisis, the teachers, priests and nuns had power over the students and abused the students in different ways. Superior people take away the rights from those who are below them, but they end up corrupt.
Power is authority and strength, which is any form of motive force or energy, ability to act, or control. When too much power is given, a dictatorship government can form, in which all decisions are made by one authority. In the book Animal Farm, by George Orwell the author portrays how “Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely” (Lord Acton).
An idea such as power establishes itself in most societies throughout the world. Power sets the basis for order and civilization, but it also causes chaos and collides with other human instincts such as greed and ambition. Power presents itself in William Shakespeare’s Macbeth in a confusing manner. Macbeth yearns to gain power and has the means to gain it, but the method of his gaining of power have been questioned by critics since its inscription in 1623. Macbeth, while tyrannical in gaining his power in the murdering of Duncan, sets the premise of the story and in this murder makes a name for himself on his leadership qualities. A man’s gain of power should not determine who they are as a ruler or even
This is demonstrated through the admiration of the people in Denmark and how he was well liked and respected keeping the chain intact. The murder of Hamlet’s father disrupted the Chain of Being as killing a King is a huge violation since they are the highest in the chain directly under angels. This allows the audience to feel this sympathy for Hamlet because losing someone in the Elizabethan era, who is near the top of the Chain of Being like a king, is able to make the audience feel Hamlet’s sadness and mourning. As well, the audience would believe that there would be a vast impact on the kingdom. Also, in the speech, Hamlet talks about how he needs to be serious and take action when he says, "Oh, from this time forth/My thoughts be bloody, or be worth nothing!” (IV. iv. 64-65). This shows that Hamlet’s thoughts on wanting to start planning Claudius’s death lets the audience feel that
Power is a critical aspect of aristocratic society since it provides authority to those who possess it and influences the actions of others. When one is given too much control, it often results in the abuse of power. In the play, King Lear written by Williams Shakespeare, the corrupting and destructive effects of power are witnessed through three significant occurrences: Regan and Goneril betraying King Lear, Edmund deceiving his father and Cornwall abusing his power.
Unfortunately, it corrupts if it is not restrained. In Macbeth, Shakespeare effectively uses the characters of Lady Macbeth and Macbeth to underscore their struggles for power. Their hunger for power is the determining factor for their destructions. Lady Macbeth longs for power, and hopes to get it by manipulating her husband to kill his own cousin. While Macbeth kills Duncan and becomes king, she fails to realize her husband’s obsession with power exceeds her. Her role in the play fades; in the end, she suffers from sleepwalking and insanity. As for Macbeth, he transforms from a honourable and respectable man to a monster as a result of his thirst for power. Not only does he betray Duncan’s trust, but he also hires murderers to kill Banquo as well as and innocent people like Macduff’s wife and son. Like Lady Macbeth, Macbeth’s ambition results in his demise when he is killed by Macduff when they finally meet in a battle. Indeed, power is destructive. The downfall of Lady Macbeth and Macbeth is indicative that power is like cancer. Sooner or later, it destroys human judgment and turns humans into
Lord Action’s words, “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely,” undoubtedly would have William Shakespeare in agreement. Based upon Shakespeare’s play, Hamlet, one sees the correspondence between Lord Action’s quote and the plot of the play. The play, in its entirety, is centered around the corruptness of the royal court of Denmark. The king, Claudius, and queen, Gertrude, evidently have absolute power over the entire country; yet, the actions of Claudius spread corruptness throughout the royal court, as if a ramped virus spreads across the nation. In the midst of the chaos is Hamlet. The means by which Claudius is willing to discover Hamlet’s true intentions proves his scheming skills. The corruption of the royal court
Examining the character of King Claudius in Hamlet, one detects his respectable qualities; one of them being that he is an exemplary leader - which is accentuated during the coronation of his kingship. In his inaugural speech, Claudius illustrates his capability of being an efficient leader by addressing the three important events occurring in Denmark: the death of old king Hamlet, Claudius’s marriage to Queen Gertrude, and the developing threat of Norway. Claudius acknowledges that the death of old King Hamlet is of tremendous importance, by plunging into it first. Taking into consideration that the old King Hamlet was idolized by the citizens of Denmark and that his death was still recent in their minds, Claudius cleverly states his request – forget old King Hamlet and concentrate on me – in an innocuous way: “That we with wisest sorrow think on him [old King Hamlet]/ Together with remembrance of ourselves” (I. ii. 6-7). Clau...
Power has been defined as the psychological relations over another to get them to do what you want them to do. We are exposed to forms of power from the time of birth. Our parents exercise power over us to behave in a way they deem appropriate. In school, teachers use their power to help us learn. When we enter the work world the power of our boss motivates us to perform and desire to move up the corporate ladder so that we too can intimidate someone with power one day. In Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness Kurtz had a power over the jungle and its people that was inexplicable.
Power is how much control and support one has. Power can be controversial because the people who want it sometimes don't know how to handle it. In Julius Caesar, written by Shakespeare, many different people possess power. They gain the power in varied ways and react to having it differently. Since there are so many situations in Julius Caesar, power shifts are very common because diverse times call for the amounts of power to vary between different people.
The fact that Claudius has become king is not really surprising. Only late in the play does Hamlet complain that his uncle had "popped in between the election and my hopes." The country had been in a nervous state expecting an invasion by young Fortinbras, at the head of a lawless band of adventurers, in revenge for his father’s death at the hands of King Hamlet. A strong new king was immediately needed; the election of Claudius, particularly in the absence of Hamlet, was inevitable. What is more, it was immediately justified, because Claudius manages to dispel the threat of invasion by appealing to the King of Norway to curb his nephew, Fortinbras; the ambitious young soldier was the more ready to cancel the projected invasion because the object of his revenge, Hamlet’s father, was now dead, and in return he received free passage through Denmark to fight against Poland.
In Hamlet, Shakespeare introduces us to Fortinbras and Hamlet. Both characters are bent on avenging the death of their fathers who were murdered. In Act I, two different revenge plots by these two men are revealed, and while Fortinbras is very open and bold about killing Claudius, Hamlet is sly and quiet about his plan. Fortinbras is also dead set on attacking Denmark no matter what but Hamlet is indecisive about killing Claudius. Fortinbras plans to lead an army to attack Denmark while Hamlet’s plan of attack is to act crazy.
To become powerful, is to become corrupt, and The Tragedy of Macbeth is a prime example. In William Shakespeare's tragic tale, a young nobleman soon becomes corrupt when he is given the opportunity to become king. His need for power and safety drives him to corruption, ultimately killing off anyone who stands in his path: innocent or not. Throughout the play, many characters portray the impact power has on a relationship: Lady Macbeth and Macbeth, Banquo and Macbeth, Macduff and Macbeth and many more. While all these characters were affected by power in the play, Banquo and Macbeth's relationship best demonstrates the effect of power.
In World War II, a lot of people are slaughtered by a man who has absolute power. This man was Adolf Hitler and he murdered 6 million Jewish. A lot of people see him as a powerful dictator, because of his mass murder. People often see often as the ability the to get what someone wants at first thought. However, it has wider concept, it has a more complex structure. It could be used for a lot of purposes and has a lot of type. If some leaders or some institutions have absolute power, ultimately the power they have will corrupt the order expects some kind of power such as knowledge, love, etc.