Claudius: A Good Politician

In the tragedy Hamlet, by William Shakespeare, Hamlet’s archrival, and main antagonist, Claudius, is evidently displayed to the audience as an insidious, incestuous, and murdering usurper. However, despite his foul traits as a human being, Claudius exemplifies respectable characteristics of a successful politician. He demonstrates the ability to manipulate others into doing his biding, to keep democratic peace in his kingdom, and to put his kingship at the upmost importance. Shakespeare makes a point of showing his audience that it does not necessarily take a virtuous man to be a thriving king.

Shakespeare symbolically has Claudius pour poison in Old Hamlet’s ear to display Claudius ability use his corrupted words and manipulate the characters in the play. One of his first acts of manipulation, Claudius ultimately convinces the people of Denmark to forget the death of his brother, and has them focus on a common enemy, Fortinbras. Claudius’s influential actions are implied during his monologue to his ambassadors, Voltimand and Cornelius: “young Fortinbras, / Holding a weak supposal of our worth, /Or thinking, by our late dear brother’s death/ our state to be disjoint and out of frame” (1.2.17-20). Since the period between Old Hamlet’s death and Claudius’s inauguration is short, Fortinbras is within reason to suspect the Danish subjects to be still mourning their lost king. However, Claudius manipulatively influences them, by means unknown to the audience, to abandon prematurely the grieving of Old Hamlet, and restoring their faith in their new king. Moreover, in order to determine the cause behind Hamlet’s madness, Claudius manipulates two of Hamlet’s childhood friends to spy on him: “That you vouchsafe your rest here in our cour...

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...s in inaction to protect his kinship; he allows Gertrude to drink to her death, rather than stopping her and risk exposing himself. Finally, Claudius makes the ultimate sacrifice in order to retain the title of king: his soul. As Claudius prays for forgiveness from his crimes, he aversively concludes that he cannot live with forgiveness and his crown: “That cannot be, since I am still possessed/ of those effects for which I did the murder: / my crown, mine own ambition, and my queen. /May one be pardoned and retain th' offense?” (3.3.54-57). Claudius is wilfully condemning his own soul to eternal damnation because he is unwilling to give up his position as king of Denmark. Even though Claudius selfishly places numerous lives in danger, including his own afterlife, his persistence for power, along with protection of the crown, makes his a good politician.