Analysis Of Shakespeare s Hamlet By William Shakespeare

In Hamlet by William Shakespeare, human agency is demonstrated by the actions of Polonius and Claudius throughout the play. Human agency is defined as the extent of power to act freely in taking responsibility for one’s actions, and the degree which intervention is possible by one to assert a will. In Hamlet, Claudius exerts his agency on the characters Laertes, and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. Similarly, Polonius restricts the freedom of his daughter, Ophelia, and constrains her agency as well, accented by the patriarchal society around the characters at this time. Through characterization and an animated setting, human agency in Hamlet entices the reader to question the extent of power that an individual can exert one’s force on a†¦show more content†¦In this way, the two courtiers are nothing more than puppets for Claudius to use. Hamlet recognizes this inability to act as good friends and confronts them in the The Mousetrap scene. He discloses, â€Å"You would play upon me, you would seem to know my stops, you would pluck out the heart of my mystery, you would sound me from my lowest note to the top of my compass.† (3.2) Hamlet is cognisant of the true intentions of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern which are not honest at all, but rather, corrupted. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, at this point in the play, have utterly lost their ties to Hamlet as a friend, and only see him as a puzzle that if deciphered, they can return and be praised by Claudius. According to Prof. McKinney, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are like sponges to be soaked up and drained by Claudius and discarded when they are of no more use. Claudius has manipulated the minds of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern by way of desire for royal appeasement, and corrupts their ability to frankly help their childhood friend, Hamlet. Laertes is also a victim to the controlling power of Claudius. Laertes comes in a rage to the palace seeking revenge for the murder of his father, Polonius. Claudius takes advantage