Essay On Marxism In Hamlet

Through Shakespeare’s play, Hamlet, if looked at carefully, one can see many aspects of Marxist thought in the story. When analysing Hamlet through a Marxist critical lens, you need to pay close attention to the interactions between characters in different classes. (add sentence)

The reader must also recognize what social class the author is in and how that could possible affect the authors portrayal of characters. In Hamlet, all the characters in the story can be placed soundly in one of the social classes in Marxist theory, those being: the Aristocracy, the ruling class; the Bourgeoisie, the wealthy just below the aristocrats, and the proletariat, also known as the working class. The characters in Hamlet can be placed in one of these three social and economic classes. Hamlet and his family would all be considered the aristocrats, King Fortinbras and his son can also be placed in this class. Characters in the bourgeoisie are characters that are wealthy and most likely have connections to the aristocrats, those characters are Polonius, Ophelia, Laertes, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. Since the majority of the play is with characters from these upper classes, we only

Let us look at Claudius. Claudius is devious and intelligent, but also selfish. Claudius kills his brother, the King, to gain social, political, and economic power. “Of those effects for which I did the murder: My crown, mine own ambition, and my queen.” (3.3.Lines) Claudius from a Marxist point of view would be looked at as a figure who was been corrupted in his craving for political power. In fear and to protect his power, Claudius convinces Hamlets friends, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, to spy on Hamlet to make sure he goes to England. “By letters congruing to that effect, The present death of Hamlet. Do it, England, For like the hectic in my blood he