Hamlet #2 Analysis

            Hamlet’s family is undoubtedly deemed as a dysfunctional family while compared to Laertes’s family. Shakespeare deliberately juxtaposes both Hamlet’s and Laertes’s families in hopes of exemplifying the constructive advice between Ophelia and Hamlet: Polonius and Laertes offer advice to Ophelia in order to protect her wellbeing while Claudius, the king, offers advice in order to protect his selfish wellbeing.

            The relationship between Hamlet and Claudius can be thoroughly understood through the apparent disconnection between the two. Amidst their conversation regarding Hamlet’s possible education in Wittenberg, Claudius attempts to rationalize his reasoning not to worry about Hamlet’s father’s death by explaining that maintaining high energy of emotions “is a course / of impious stubbornness. ‘Tis unmanly grief” (Hamlet I.ii.96-98). In truthfulness, Claudius’s rationalization behind Hamlet’s grief is a mere attempt to make Hamlet understand that Denmark’s success, as a state, will only be beneficial with the presence of Hamlet. If Hamlet leaves for Wittenberg, his departure will completely reflect the change of power in the state. Claudius now holds power instead of Hamlet’s father. Hamlet’s departure will yield a loss of power and trust within the entire state and more importantly to Hamlet’s family.

            Shakespeare deliberately contrasts Hamlet’s family to Laertes’s family in order to highlight the caring, selfless attitudes both Laertes and Polonius have towards Ophelia. Although Laertes originally warns Ophelia of Hamlet’s wrongful feelings towards her, Shakespeare deliberately incorporates another voice by including Polonius into Ophelia’s wellbeing. By including Polonius as Laertes leaves, Laertes exclaims that “A double blessing is a double grace. / Occasion smiles upon a second leave” (Hamlet I.iii.57-58). Both Laertes and Polonius denounce Hamlet’s attraction to Ophelia in order to sincerely protect her wellbeing. Unlike Claudius’s selfishness, Laertes and Polonius give advice with the least amount of selfishness possible. Polonius, unlike Claudius, allows Laertes to depart for his journey to France by stating “The wind sits in the shoulder of your sail, / And you are stayed for. There, my blessing with / thee” (Hamlet I.iii.61-63). The fact that Polonius allows Laertes to depart while Claudius does not exemplifies how Claudius is holding Hamlet down in order to benefit only himself. Laertes’s family, in comparison to Hamlet’s family, undoubtedly exceeds in the selfless words of advice whereas Hamlet’s family (particularly Claudius) is heavily undermined by Claudius’s selfishness.