Examples Of Obedience In Hamlet

Mark Sun

Deborah Cox

ENG4U1

8, January 2023

An Exploration of the Usage of the Word “Obey” in Hamlet

In Hamlet by William Shakespeare, Ophelia, Rosencrantz, Guildenstern, and Hamlet are subservient to Claudius and Polonius. Polonius and Ophelia’s conversation, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern’s service for Claudius, Hamlet’s pursuit of revenge, and these characters’ usage of the word “obey'', demonstrates the characters’ understanding of their expected obedience towards Claudius and Polonius. The characters’ behavior that then arises from their understanding of obedience is illustrative of how authority figures such as Claudius and Polonius enforce compliance when the people disagree with their decisions. Ophelia’s usage of “obey”, and her conversation

Ophelia is like this because of Polonius’s manipulations. Polonius’ and Ophelia’s conversation in Act One demonstrates the results of his manipulations and shows Ophelia’s understanding of obedience to the audience. For whatever reason, Polonius does not want Ophelia to be in a relationship with Hamlet. So he stops their relationship by making Ophelia question herself and follows his orders. Polonius manipulates Ophelia by making her think that she invalidates her family’s honor, that she does not know anything, and that Hamlet is manipulating her among other things he says. When Ophelia says, “I do not know… what I should think” (I.iii.104), it indicates that these techniques work. Polonius instills the idea that he is always more right than Ophelia through a variety of techniques. Some of the techniques he uses during this scene are, “scare tactics” and, “gaslighting”. He scares Ophelia that she endangers her honor by loving Hamlet, and “gaslights” Ophelia by telling her that everything she knows about Hamlet is wrong and that she should trust

This understanding also demonstrates how rulers like Claudius can use financial incentives to enforce their decisions. Like Ophelia, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern also use the word “obey” in an affirmative manner; however, whereas Ophelia serves Polonius because she believes it is the right thing to do partly due to her believing it as her duty as a daughter and partly because of Polonius’ manipulations, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern obey the king for personal gain. Claudius promises them, “such thanks / As fits a king’s remembrance” (II.ii.25-26) in exchange for their services to spy on Hamlet and help Claudius. Whether they are aware of Claudius’ schemes or not and whether they truly want to help Hamlet or not is arguable in Act Two. However, by Act Four, where they knowingly escort Hamlet to exile and where Hamlet labels them as a, “sponge” (IV.ii.13) for the king; they are not on Hamlet’s side and are willingly helping Claudius harm their past best friends for their benefit. These events show that Rosencrantz and Guildenstern simply view obedience as a transaction, they will do whatever anyone demands of them, no matter how morally reprehensible, as long as it is profitable. They are mercenaries. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern’s