Dysfunctional Family Relationships in Hamlet

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Dysfunctional Family Relationships in Hamlet
Parents play vital roles in not only the development but also the effective shaping of the characters of their children. They provide guidance that assists the young individuals to transform into responsible members in society. Good parents bring up their children in upright fashions. They instill in them ideal ethical and moral standards such as respecting others and being empathetic to the plights and suffering of other people. Based on the above facts, it is evident that children who are brought up in ‘hospitable’ homes with wonderful parents are more than lucky and blessed with the development of desirable attributes and characteristics. Nonetheless, there are also strained parent-child relationships that are utterly detrimental to the upbringing of young people. William Shakespeare’s masterpiece Hamlet clearly highlights family relationships and particularly the association between parents and their children as one of the major themes. The play showcases the role of family in not only the success but also failure of different characters including the protagonist Hamlet. The tragic nature of the play Hamlet is as a result of the dysfunctional families.
The theme of dysfunctional family relationships is evidenced in several characters throughout the play Hamlet. It is evident from the onset of the play that the protagonist Hamlet had a disastrous relationship to say the least with his step father and uncle Claudius. Hamlet vehemently opposed the marriage between Claudius and his mother Gertrude. He not only termed it as incestuous but also believed that the nuptial was hurried. Hamlet’s hate for Claudius is also fueled by the sentiments shared by the ghost of King Hamlet (Charnes 538). The ghost tended to visit Hamlet regularly and filled him with the idea that it was Claudius who murdered him so that he could ascend to the throne. Conversely, Claudius’ hate towards Hamlet stems from the fact he considers the latter a threat. With the murder of his father, Hamlet was the rightful heir to the throne. Claudius therefore, makes several attempts to eliminate him. He laced a glass of wine and a sword with poison. The move backfires as Gertrude ends up drinking the wine and the sword stabs him killing him instantly. The soon becomes a double tragedy as Hamlet who had been scratched by the poisoned sword also succumbs to his death. These facts shared above are the perfect example of family dysfunctionalities in the play. Members of the same family as was the case with Hamlet and his step father/ uncle are supposed to have cordial relations (Cavan, and Parizeau 473). Claudius for one should have been the one to guide and model Hamlet to become a responsible member in that society and eventually groom him to take over the throne. However, the two are continuously engaged in tussles that lead to their tragic demise. The scenario would have been completely different if the two were in a functional family and had mutual understanding and respect for one another.
Additionally, the theme of dysfunctional family is portrayed through the character of Polonius, the Chief Counselor to the King. The relationship that Polonius ...