Hamlet

Here for myself; To Achieve

By: Kenzie Parent

            In the play Hamlet, by William Shakespeare, self-preservation is reflected by many characters, which put themselves first to others. It is used in the nature of doing what is needed the most, by being able to, get somewhere, cover something up, hiding something, or convincing others to do something, for what’s best for yourself not them, even if it has a large negative affect on them or another. This tells how someone is as a person on how they treat others, if they only use other people and have no other interest in them. In this certain play, Hamlet, the role of self-preservation is used in many ways for the individuals to make them look better. When individuals use self-preservation when responding to competing demands, they usually do not have limits, they will do anything they can to make sure they look better or are doing better, not even having another person in mind. Individuals will usually do anything they can; lie, cheat, manipulate others, to help their needs. In this play you will see many forms of individuals using self-preservation for many different purposes, to get what they need done.

            A character in this play Laetres, attends a school in France, but had come home to see the marriage of Queen Gertrude and now King Claudius. Laetres has shown his honor to King Claudius by attending the wedding and now he wishes for “Your leave and favor to return to France, from whence though willingly I came to Denmark, to show my duty in your coronation, yet now, I must confess, the duty done, my thoughts and wishes bend again towards France. And bow them to your gracious leave and pardon.” (Act 1, scene 2-lines 51-56.) This is a role of self-preservation because Laetres has come to be on the good side of the King, in which he is; by coming to the wedding he has pleased the King fairly. Now in going back to France for school, he is going to further his education and that will make him a better him.

                        Queen Gertrude, a women fair of her heart, with love of her first husband, King Hamlet, no longer in her heart after his death, she “within in a month; Ere yet the salt of most unrighteous tears had left the flushing of her galled eyes, she married.”(Act 1, Scene 2-lines 153-156.) The Queen, Gertrude, had married once again to none other than the brother of her deceased husband, Claudius “My father’s brother, but no more like my father than I to Hercules.”(Act 1, Scene 2-lines152-153.) Those were Hamlet’s words as he had thought about what his dear mother had done, he spoke these feelings most privately about this hasty marriage. People had thought of this act of self-preservation through her being married again so quickly. To the deceased king’s brother, she has kept her place as Queen, which not wanting to step down from that royalty, and all those perks, is self-preservation. Maybe after the death she felt lonely, wanted to have the feeling of love again, and Claudius was the one to give her that, so she did not lose that feeling, because that was something she always wanted to feel. She could have married him because she actually loved him, which is also brought up throughout the play, Gertrude showing affection for Claudius. The marriage could have been something Gertrude was using to preserve herself as Queen, which in her favour is a great thing for her, not having to step down and Hamlet marrying Ophelia and them taking over the Kingdom. Ophelia was supposed to be next in line, marrying Hamlet. Gertrude’s staying or losing her Queen duties, depended on if she remarried, she had to make a choice to think fast to stay Queen or give it up.

                        Claudius, used self-preservation many times for various different reasons throughout this play. Though now “The serpent that did sting thy father’s life now wears his crown.”(Act 1, Scene 5-lines 39-40.) The words that the ghost did speak, Claudius had murdered King Hamlet to put him on top, there was no competition any more  and Claudius was now King. Claudius had done what he needed to put him on top, he was better now and no one had known that he had killed the King. Up until Hamlet came along, and seen the ghost of King Hamlet. Claudius had married the Queen, “Therefore our sometimes sister, now our Queen…With mirth in funeral and with dirge in marriage, in equal scale weighing delight and dole,-Taken to wife :]( Act1, Scene 2-lines 8-17.) After King Hamlet’s passing, to put himself there in the place of King, Claudius had to hide what he had done throughout the whole play. This became challenging when Hamlet shared the play the ‘mousetrap’ a play almost reenacting what Claudius had done. He has to compete with Hamlet to stay King, as Hamlet is out to show everyone for what he’s done. Claudius had done a lot of tricks and manipulating to get what he needed to be done throughout the kingdom. Claudius convinces Hamlet to leave, which takes care of the problem of Hamlet not revealing what he knows, but little does Hamlet know Claudius has manipulated him to help his chances even more, Writing a letter containing this news: “And England…thou mayst not coldly set our sovereign process, which imports at full, By letters congruing to that effect, The present death of Hamlet. Do it, England,” (Act 4, Scene 3-lines 59-66.) Claudius had manipulated everything and everyone he needed to, to keep his place as King. He had lied and controlled this as he thought they should go not looking in the good of natures for others just for him.

            Self-preservation is something every human uses it, at least one point or another in their life, they may being using it to get ahead or just hide the tiniest thing, but it still happens. It is part of the Human Condition, it’s something that’s in us, to be the best us and do the best we can in life. We all want to do well and succeed in life and some people will do whatever they can to reach their goals, they have no limits. While others live inside their limitations. When in a competition some people’s instinct goes straight to cheating that is just who they are, and others play fairly.  There are some things that are instincts to people and they feel it is okay. Everyone has a different way in which they achieve what they need to.