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James Kunder
Mrs. McElroy
AP English
October 20, 2014
The Collapse of Dynasty
The hideous aristocracy will fall to the righteous common man. This is the course of history
according to Karl Marx: that the kings will fall to the bourgeoisie, and the bourgeoisie falls to the
common man, the peasant. In Hamlet we see why these transitions should take place. Shakespeare
shows us the treachery of the aristocracy, a group of murderous, incestuous, fools. But in sharp contrast
of the aristocracy is the common man, shown as brave, able, and active. When viewed through a
Marxist lens Hamlet speaks to the problems of the aristocracy and the goodness of the common man,
symbolizing the natural course of human history.

The portrayals of the aristocracy (by whom I mean the nobles) are horrible, which is meant to
symbolize the problems with rule by the aristocracy. The king, Claudius, has committed murder to gain
the power of the throne. Murder is one of the most gruesome crimes to commit, but in Claudius's
context, a brother killing a brother, it is one of the oldest crimes of man. Cain and Abel is one of the
first stories of the Bible. With religion being a much larger factor in daily life at the time, all people
would be able to make the connection between the biblical story and Claudiuss murder of Hamlet's
father. As seen in the Bible, murder is common, but the murder of Abel has left profound impact, it is
murder of a sort crueler than any other form imaginable. To murder one's own flesh. It is beyond
murder, it is despicable. Shakespeare has Claudius kill his brother because murder, although bad, can
be justified or seen in a positive light. For example Hamlet's murder of Claudius is seen as justified.

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That is why Shakespeare has Claudius kill his brother to show evil so deep that no one can justify it or
deem it righteous. Then there is the queen, Gertrude, who sleeps with her deceased husband's brother.
This is considered incest. This is a most bestial habit, and although there is no blood connection
between Gertrude and Claudius, she had been married to King Hamlet. Gertrude committed more than
just incest by marrying Claudius. She also insulted the dead. She does not even wait a month after
Hamlet's death to marry Claudius. Her faithfulness to Hamlet comes into question, it can be asked if
she was faithful during Hamlet's life. Gertrude is put into a position by Shakespeare, quite like that of
Claudius, where the reader cannot empathize with her. She is so bad with her incest and unfaithfulness
that one cannot help but look with contempt upon her. And finally there are Rosencrantz and
Guildenstern. These two men are shown to be the epitome of the foolish. They attempt to help the king
spy on Hamlet without realizing that Hamlet is in fact onto their scheme. They are fools because of
their egotism/blind ambition. They do not stop to think that perhaps Hamlet is sane. They do not stop
and think of the contents of the letter they carry to England. They do not think that they could be duped
by people lower than they (an insane Hamlet). They do not think for themselves. When Hamlet says
You would play upon me(3.2.340) Rosencrantz and Guildenstern do not realize that Hamlet is on to
them. Hamlet says this because he knows that his two friends actually speak with him in attempt to
gain information for the King and Queen. They play him like an instrument in order to receive music
for the king and queen's ears. Yet, the two men do not realize that they are found out. Rosencrantz and
Guildenstern merely follow the path set for them, which makes them fools. Many of the aristocracy are
shown to have a negative disposition in Hamlet. Shakespeare has portrayed the aristocracy in such a
hideous light so that the message is clear and simple: the aristocracy are horrendous. The King is a
murderer, but not a justified murderer, no a murderer of his own blood, his brother. The queen, is an
incestuous woman, who does not have the dignity, the common decency, to wait more than a month

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until she remarried. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are fools unable to realize the situation they are in.
These characters show that the aristocracy is horrendous, they are at core bad people. And people of
wicked or incompetent disposition are not good rulers.
There are aristocratic characters, such as Hamlet, who do not act in a horrid manner, but are
altogether unfit to lead. Hamlet is a justified character although he also commits murder. The murder he
commits and the insane character he puts on are justified roles because they are meant for revenge.
Although many may not agree with such vengeance, it can be justified, definitely within the time
period. As seen by the actions of Hamlet, Laertes, and Fortinbras revenge of a family member is
deemed not only acceptable but honorable. Claudius aids Laertes in this effort because he wishes
Hamlet dead, but also because Laertes is fulfilling what would be considered a son's obligation. This is
seen in the ghost's conversation with Hamlet in which he says If thous hast nature in thee, bear it
not[the murder](1.5.81). King Hamlet's ghost says that exacting revenge on a father's murderer is
purely natural, it is what should be done. This murder of Claudius is therefore justified. But even
Hamlet who is not wicked at heart is not fit to lead. He lacks the ability to act although he is good at
heart. Hamlet, although his goal is set and he has all his time in life to commit to this simple task,
cannot find it in himself to complete the killing. Hamlet says My thoughts be bloody or be nothing
worth(4.4.67). In this quote Hamlet's true self is seen, his thoughts not his actions be those of death
and revenge. In actuality he cannot bring himself to have revenge. This is affirmed by Goethe who
says that reflection and sorrow have become for him[Hamlet] a heavy obligation(Goethe,244). This
confirms the opinion that Hamlet in fact is not a man of action but rather a man of thoughts and regret.
He is unfit to rule. As seen, the aristocracy, even if good at heart, are in fact not competent to lead a
nation.

With the aristocracy shown to be unfit to serve Shakespeare portrays the common man as
leading a dignified life of action. The presence of the common man in Hamlet is a brief flash of a better
group of people, people who are ruled by incompetence. The actors are, although to us a noble
profession, at the times considered common men, wanderers. Hamlet says Oh, what a rogue peasant
slave I am!(2.2.471). Hamlet says this when comparing himself to the first player who could evoke
fiery passion within a fictional work. Hamlet compares himself to a being lower than the actor, to a
slave, to show his inability to bring passion into his own cause of revenge. Hamlet says the actor would
Make mad the guilty and appall the free/ Confound the ignorant, and amaze, indeed(2.2.485-486).
This shows that the actor would take righteous action. That no matter who he confused or angered it
would not matter, because to the actor nothing is more important than the goal. Hamlet wishes that he
could have the passion, the call to action, that the common actor has. There is also the army of
Fortinbras of Norway, who Hamlet says Rightly to be great/ Is not to stir without great argument,/ But
greatly to find quarrel in a straw/ When honor's at the stake(4.4.54-57). This means that being great is
fighting over all matters if honor is at stake. This is what the soldiers of Norway do. They go to fight
Poland over a sliver of land that will bring them no benefit, yet probable death. But the soldiers march
Makes mouths(4.4.51) to battle. They show contempt in the face of death, and they do this for
nothing more than honor, for serving their country. These men act, and they act honorably, unlike
Hamlet. And lastly there are the gravediggers whom Horatio says Custom hath made it in him a
property of easiness.(5.1.60). This refers to the unagitated time the gravediggers have around death. It
has little effect on them. This is a symbol for the preparedness of the commoner for death. As the
aristocracy fret about killing and dying, the common man is accustomed to it. The soldiers march off to

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death yet show no fear: they mock death with their looks of contempt (4.4.51). The common man has
grown adept and ready for life and for action. Fear is not a hindrance as it is for Hamlet. Through their
passion, fearless actions, and comfort with death the common people are shown to be men of action.
Action, and dignified action too. The commoners are prepared to act and are of sound ability to do so.
The information above has created a world that generally corresponds with a Marxist view of
history: that the aristocracy will fall and give way to rule by the common man. Many members of the
aristocracy are portrayed as beasts rather than men, characters so inhuman that no empathy can be felt.
The king is an unjust murderer, killing his own brother, for greed and power. The queen in disloyal and
incestuous, as she sleeps with her husband's brother, whom she married less than a month after the
death of King Hamlet. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are oblivious to their surroundings as they are
played by Hamlet and give away letters sentencing themselves to death. Though not all the aristocracy
are wicked or incompetent, even the normal ones, like Hamlet, are in actuality unfit to rule. Hamlet,
although arguably good at heart, is incapable of action, therefore rendering him a poor leader. The
issues of aristocracy are affirmed by the quote My stronger guilt feeds my stronger intent(3.3.40).
This is a line from Abraham Lincoln's favorite soliloquy (Lincoln,252). It can be argued that this is
Lincoln's favorite because he feels the pain of the presidency, the pain of ruling. He is calling himself
unfit for the job because the guilt he feels from the many deaths of in the Civil War. This is a symbol
that rule by one man is not feasible; it is not right. Even if a ruler is good at heart, like Lincoln,
complete power for one man or a small group is unjust. The power should be given to the whole, to the
people. Beyond the problems with the aristocracy come glimpses of the common man who is shown to
be just and ready to act. The actor is able to evoke passion and action in even the most menial of things,
in reciting the lines of a play. The actor has the ability to call all to action. The soldiers of Norway are

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just and heroic. They march for honor, not personal benefit. They are willing to sacrifice their lives for
honor, they are willing to act. And lastly the gravediggers are fearless, or comfortable with death just as
the soldiers. They have come to know death and are completely functional acting around it. These traits
make the common man different from the aristocracy. The commoner fights for honor whereas
members of the aristocracy murder and commit heinous sexual acts. The common man is able to act
whereas the aristocracy freezes near the thought of death. Hamlet says the age grown so/ picked that
the toe of the peasant comes so near the heel of the courtier (5.1.123-125). This quote serves as a
prophetic symbol for the future. The times have become so demanding that the peasant is on the heels
of the courtier, an adviser to the king. This, with connection to the mass death of many of the
aristocratic characters at play's end, symbolizes that revolt would soon be upon the land. That the times
have come when the peasant scrapes so close with the aristocracy that the peasant galls his[the
courtier's] kibe*(5.1.125). The aristocracy, unfit and wicked, then die while the common man moves
closer and closer to power. The basic Marxist principle is then demonstrated in Hamletthe
incompetent rich shall fall, the common man, the worker(man of action) shall rise and rule.

*Kibe- a sore

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Works Cited
Shakespeare, William. Hamlet. Ed. Robert S. Miola. New York:
W. W. Norton and Company, 2011. Print.