To Be or Not To Be... King

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The characteristics of a great king have been debated by countless scholars and civilians throughout history. It is presumed that a king should be prepared for abrupt threats to his country, requiring him to be a decisive leader. Civilians want a king that portrays an accurate representation of themselves and their country. Without his citizens he is nothing, therefore he must acknowledge his inhabitants and do what is best for them. As a role model citizen, the king must be honest and reveal all of himself to his country. In William Shakespeare’s play, Hamlet, the protagonist and anti-hero is played by a prince named Hamlet, who is on the verge of becoming the king after his father’s untimely death. However, disrupting the throne is Hamlet’s uncle, Claudius, who poisoned Hamlet’s father. In order to seek revenge, Hamlet plots the murder of his uncle, but is interfered with his own character flaws that result in the deaths of his mother, Gertrude, his lover, Ophelia, her father, Polonius, his uncle, Claudius, and ultimately himself. However, if Hamlet were to survive and become king, he would not have been able to adhere to the characteristics of an exceptional king due to his egocentric, insincere, and indecisive characteristics.

In the course of the play, Hamlet’s selfish characteristics manifest between his interactions with Ophelia, Gertrude, and Polonius. In the third Act, Ophelia returns Hamlet’s gifts that he had given her, implying that she does not belong with him (III, i, 104). As a result, Hamlet immediately suspects that he is being spied on by Claudius and Polonius. He then further concludes that Ophelia is an accomplice to his uncle’s plans in order to bring out a reaction from him. This suspicion of Ophelia is an...

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...lia, which verifies his character trait of dishonesty. Hamlet’s dishonesty is also prevalent when he does not reveal where he hid Polonius’ body, contradicting a noble king’s truthfulness. A considerable king should be prepared for anything, thus being able to make hasty decisions. However, Hamlet lingers over his thoughts and does not take action, resulting in the play’s tragedies. Shakespeare wrote Hamlet’s character with the most humanistic qualities, therefore Hamlet is not a flawless person. Being a great king requires much more than any average human being could promise; it requires that one does not fail. It is human nature for people to make mistakes, therefore no one should expect extraordinary things, for they will most likely be disappointed.

Works Cited

Shakespeare, William, Ann Thompson, and Neil Taylor. Hamlet. London: Thomson Learning, 2006. Print.

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