Abuse Of Power In Hamlet

The timing and context of the dialogue beginning with “To be or not to be” in William Shakespeare’s Hamlet is so important to describe the intrinsic strength of ‘power’ and it covers the malicious aspects of the themes death, exploration, friendship, love, religion, wealth, and truth put together. Power corrupts an individual and the pursuit of absolute power corrupts absolutely. The historical literature related to humankind is daubed in bloodshed to gain and hold on to power, position and authority. It is like an intoxicating substance that owns the maddening power of the mind of an individual and the affected individual loses all sense of proportion in the execution of his power-designs. The thinking process of Hamlet and his

It is like the plight of a swimmer who stands in the shores of a roaring sea, and entertains the futile hope to take the plunge when there will be no waves in the sea. At the same time, he knows fully well that the no-waves situation will never happen in a sea. One has to take the plunge at an appropriate time and forge ahead in his power-struggle. ‘To be or not to be’, is the time-line statement, the barometer of a serious dilemma in which the Hamlet’s mind remains entangled. Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely, draws curtain on the right thinking process of the mind and in that desperate state Hamlet is trying to come to terms to challenge the future course of events for his socio-spiritual predicament, whether to derive power though life or to seek final liberation from the mortal bindings by embracing

Life means action and death means termination of all actions by the physical equipment (body) governed by mind, intellect and the power of discrimination. Hamlet states, “To be, or not to be: that is the question: / Whether ‘tis nobler in the mind to suffer / The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune / Or to take arms against a sea of troubles” (III.i.p.53). It is uncharitable to conclude that a brave warrior like Hamlet is afraid of death, but he wants to know what gains are going to accrue if he is to avail the option of death. It is futile exercise the option of suicide if it that is going to lead to profound miseries after death. Another situation of dilemma ‘to be or not to be’ sprouts forthwith in the plot. That is relating to the nature of death. Hamlet tries to provide answer to this question relating to death on which philosophers, wise-men and intellectuals must have penned millions of pages without arriving at the conclusive answer. Hamlet articulates, “To sleep: perchance to dream:—ay there’s the rub; / For in that sleep of death what dreams may come” (III.i. p.53). In this context ‘dreams’ refer to the uncertainties after death. He concludes that death in no way leads to the final solutions; on the contrary it may lead to severe trials and tribulations. After tossing and toying with the idea of the death, Hamlet arrives at the definite conclusion