In the play "Hamlet" by William Shakespeare, the character of Claude is a near perfect example of a Machiavellian character. Claude began as the brother to King Hamlet, stepbrother to Queen Gertrude and Uncle to Prince Hamlet. However this situation obviously does not suite Claude so he takes measures to change it. After doing what he had to too become King, Claude's brother is dead, he is married to Gertrude and Prince Hamlet is now his son-in-law. In this fashion he has demonstrated the golden rule of Machiavelli. That rule is to obtain power by all means necessary and to keep that power by all means necessary. However after Claude gains his power he does not do a good job of keeping it. There are things Claude could of done to keep a grasp on the Kingship that he does not do and the result is his death. So in some ways Claude is a perfect example of a Machiavellian character, but in other ways he is far from it.
             As the play begins, Claude has taken possession of the crown. "The serpent that did sting thy father's life now wears his crown."(Hamlet, 29) A ghost of Old Hamlet has told Prince Hamlet and the audience how he died. His brother poisoned him. This action alone is cruel but would not guarantee the crown to Claude, for that to happen Claude must do more. "With mirth in funeral and with dirge in marriage, in equal scale weighing delight and dole-taken to wife."(Hamlet, 10) To secure his position as King, Claude has married Gertrude. Now he is married to the Queen, brother to the dead King and an experienced leader, the perfect choice for a new King. This is a good position to step into because Old Hamlet was well like and Denmark was a powerful country, so Claude's Kingship would be warmly greeted. "I say at once there are fewer difficulties in holding hereditary states, and those long accustomed to the family of their prince..."(Machiavelli, 3) When a country is used to...