The Manipulations of Hamlet

Throughout the course of history, the art of manipulation has dated back to biblical times and the story of Cain and Abel. Some people use it to gain power, while others use it to further their success in their endeavors. This theme is often repeated in Shakespeare’s epic tragedy Hamlet. Hamlet uses these manipulations on several occasions throughout the story. First, he uses manipulation and deceit to avenge his father’s death. Secondly, the reader sees how his manipulations of Ophelia and Polonius eventually lead to their deaths. And lastly, the reader sees how the manipulation is turned on Hamlet himself and leads to his own demise.

The inspiration for Hamlet’s first manipulation comes about when he is visited by the ghost of his late father. During this visit, Hamlet learns that his uncle, Claudius, murdered his father to gain the throne of Denmark. Hamlet knows that he must kill Claudius to ease his father’s tortured soul. To accomplish this, Hamlet knows that he must act crazy to draw attention away from himself. Hamlet explains this when he tells Horatio, “How strange or odd soe’er I bear myself,/ As I perchance hereafter shall think meet/ To put an antic disposition on”(1.5.170-172). This i

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After this conversation, Claudius knows that Hamlet is dangerous and is perhaps plotting against him.

I bought an unction of a montebank,

So mortal that, but dip a knife in it,

Where it draws blood no cataplasm so rare,

Collected from all simples that have virtue

Under the moon, can save the thing from death

That is but scratch’d withal; I’ll touch my point

With this contagion, that, if I gall him slightly,

It may be dead”(4. With this desire, Claudius and Polonius to eavesdrop on a conversation between Hamlet and Ophelia in the effort to gain more information. By this time, Claudius knows that Hamlet has become a threat, therefore, proving that Hamlet’s manipulation did indeed work.

One thing that Hamlet did not count on was that his manipulation would lead to his own death. Hamlet implies that Ophelia is not chaste and tells her that she should go to a whorehouse.

Throughout the story, Hamlet uses manipulation on the people he loved and the people that he hated to get his revenge. He decides that Laertes shall enter a duel with Hamlet but he will use a sharp edged sword, not a safety-tipped sword used for dueling.

Secondly, Hamlet knows he must also fool Ophelia.

Then up he rose, and donn’d his clothes,

And dupp’d the chamber-door;

Let in the maid, that out a maid

Never departed more. Not only did it cost Hamlet his own life, but also the lives of the people that cared for. After this, Ophelia begins to believe that Hamlet is actually mad. This is apparent when Hamlet tells Ophelia,”You should not have believed me; for virtue cannot so inoculate our old stock but we shall relish of it: I loved you not”(3. Instead, both Hamlet and Laertes get scratched by the sword, therefore, destined to die.

Approximate Word count = 1054
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)

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