Explore Shakespeare's presentation of the relationships between parents and children in Hamlet.

The relationship between Hamlet and his father is in Act 1 scene 5, where Hamlet has his first encounter with the ghost. The relationship between Hamlet and his father isn’t very intimate. The ghost prepares Hamlet for the duty of avenging before actually informing him. “So art thou to revenge, when thou shalt hear.” The content of the language establishes the tone in which the ghost speaks in, being a serious persuasive manner, “Revenge his foul and most unnatural murder.” The ghost uses a lot of imagery and similes as a method of manipulating Hamlet into avenging “Freeze thy young blood, make thy two eyes like stars start from their spheres , and each particular hair to stand on end, like quills upon the fretful porpentine” The use of similes makes a comparison to the way the ghost felt when he died. This is very successful in persuading Hamlet to avenge, as it is very reflective of pain and suffering in purgatory. “The serpent that did sting thy father’s life now wears his crown.” The metaphorical imagery is very successful in manipulating Hamlet to avenge, as the ghost is comparing his brother Claudius to a serpent and also creates vengeance of Hamlet towards Claudius. The scene shows no definite relationship between Hamlet and his father, except the fact that the ghost is successful in persuading Hamlet into accepting the duty of avenging. The only intimacy between Hamlet and his father is when the ghost tells Hamlet to remember him. “Adieu, adieu, adieu. Remember me.”Both the ghost and Claudius use manipulative language in persuading Hamlet. Claudius tries to persuade Hamlet in getting over his fathers death in Act 1 scene 2, but Hamlets father persuades him to remember him. Shakespeare deliberately presents Claudius and the ghost in similar ways “O villain, villain, smiling, damned villain!” this show that Hamlet respects the ghost as his genuine father and that he doesn’t respect Claudius at all. Shakespeare has deliberately presented Hamlet with this threatening tone, as it emphasises his hatred and vengeance towards his uncle, Claudius. Hamlet feels it is now his duty to avenge his uncle because he has sworn to his father. “I have sworn’t.”  This is similar to Laertes as he feels he has to revenge against Hamlet because Hamlet killed his father. They both avenge out of guilt.

The relationship between Claudius and Hamlet and the ghost and Hamlet are parallel. They both avoid emphasising genuine father and son relationships, either if it’s Hamlet rejecting Claudius as a father, or the ghost using Hamlet just for revenge. This is compared with the father and son relationship between Polonius and Laertes. The relationship between Polonius and Laertes is genuine. In Act 1 scene 3, Polonius bids farewell to his son Laertes who is going to France. They establish a typical father / son relationship. Shakespeare has presented Polonius’ and Laertes relationship as being traditional, as it deliberately contrasts with Hamlets relationship with Claudius. Polonius gives Laertes good, moral advice that a father would give to his son, “beware of entrance to a quarrel.” Polonius shows his affections for his son, Laertes, “Farewell. My blessing season this in thee!” Polonius shows he cares for Laertes. This compares to the relationship between Claudius and Hamlet, when Hamlet goes to England.

In Act 4 scene 2, Claudius publically reveals Hamlet has murdered Polonius. He does this by constantly asking Hamlet where Polonius is, for the ears of the public, “Now, Hamlet, where’s Polonius?” Claudius is aware that Hamlet has murdered Polonius, but the members of the public don’t. Claudius deliberately reveals Hamlet to the public to take the attention away from himself. Hamlet set up a play that revealed Claudius had killed his father, the previous king, so the only way he could deflect the attention away from himself was to expose Hamlet. Shakespeare deliberately presents Claudius in this way to show the contrast of him in Act 1 and the development of his character. It emphasises that he doesn’t genuinely look at Hamlet as his son, as he would have taken Hamlet to a more private place and asked him where Polonius is, and would have kept it confidential, but he deliberately reveals it publically. “My mother. Father and mother is man and wife; man and wife is one flesh; and so, my mother.” Shakespeare presents Hamlet in a similar way to Claudius, which shows he does not consider Claudius as a father, he just dismisses him.

In Act 4 scene 7, Claudius speaks to Laertes in a Fatherly manner, this compares to the scene where the ghost persuades Hamlet to avenge against his uncle Claudius. Shakespeare has deliberately presented Claudius’ and Laertes relationship in the same way to portray the likeness between Claudius and the ghost. They both manipulate Hamlet and Laertes into avenging. “if it be so Laertes- Will you be ruled by me?” Claudius the same as the ghost uses persuasive language in attempting Laertes to accept his duty, “My lord, I will be ruled.” Claudius and the ghost both use sympathy as the element of manipulating Laertes into avenging against Hamlet. Claudius does this by constantly reminding Laertes of his father, “Laertes, was your father dear to you? Or are you like the painting of a sorrow, A face with out a heart?” Both Claudius and the ghost use metaphorical language and imagery in manipulating them into avenging. Claudius constantly comments on Polonius, as he knows it is a successful subject for manipulating Laertes into accepting the revenge. “What  would you undertake to show yourself in deed your father’s son more than in words?” this is similar to the ghost in Act 1 scene 5, when he constantly asks Hamlet to remember him. Claudius also uses vengeance as manipulation, which Laertes responds to, “To cut his throat i’th’ church!”

The last Act which finalises the father / son relationship between Claudius and Laertes is the scene where Laertes avenges against Hamlet. Although Hamlet and Laertes seem different in character, they are both very similar. They both fulfil the duty that they are intended to fulfil. In this scene Claudius’ character is revealed, which is a major contrast from his character in Act 1. Shakespeare deliberately presents Claudius’ and Hamlets relationship in this scene to portray Claudius’ genuine character. In this scene Claudius refers to Hamlet as Cousin. “cousin Hamlet, you know the wager?” Shakespeare’s deliberately presented Claudius in this way to show that Claudius never had genuine fatherly feelings towards Hamlet, as he would never have persuaded Laertes into avenging against Hamlet. It also shows that he feels no guilt towards the revenge, if he can kill his own brother, than he can kill his nephew.

“Hamlet, this pearl is thine. Here’s to thy health. Give him the cup.” Claudius tries to persuade Hamlet into drinking the poison, but Hamlet refuses. Laertes confesses to the poison and tells Hamlet how the king persuaded him, “The King, the king’s to blame.” This corrupts the fatherly / son relationship between Claudius and Laertes, Laertes realises that Claudius used him to avenge against Hamlet. Hamlet immediately stabs Claudius with the poisoned sword and forces him to drink the poison intended for him. “Here, thou incestuous, murderous, damned dane, drink off this poison. Is thy union here? Follow my mother.” Shakespeare deliberately presents the father / son relationship in this way to show that Hamlet has no respect for his uncle and that he despises Claudius for marrying his mother and killing his father, he never considered him as father. This proves that there never was no father / son relationship between Claudius and Hamlet, except vengeance.