The Hamlet
In the play Hamlet, Shakespeare focused mainly on the issues arising from betrayal, death and love. The play shows how greedy shape how individuals relate with those close to them including their brothers. The play shows King Claudius who portrays all the qualities of a good leader but lacks the qualities of a good person. King Claudius is described as hubris because his actions are meant to bring glory and power to himself. He thinks of himself only and thinks that he merits everything that he wants. He wants to be in power and hence kills his brother.
He also lusts for the brother’s wife and marries her immediately after the funeral to fullfil his desire to take his brother’s place. The ghost of the old king tells Hamlet that “the serpent that did sting thy father now wears his crown”. This statement points to King Claudius as the murderer (Shakespeare and Cyrus). He goes ahead to say that his brother Claudius found him “napping in his orchard and poured a leprous distilment inside his ears”.
Claudius act is considered hubris because he thinks highly of himself and believes that other people do not deserve the good things they have or the position they hold. He believes he is better suited to be the next ruler and not his nephew Hamlet. He acquires everything provided that it looks good to him irrespective of the harm it would cause to others. Claudius demonstrates in all his actions that he thinks he is better than other people. He thinks he is fit to rule and not his brother. He also thinks he is worthy of the beautiful Gertrude and not his brother and this is another reason for him to kill his brother. After the funeral, he sees himself better than Hamlet and takes the crown right under his nose.
It is incorrect to perceive yourself as being better to others and that you deserve the best as Claudius believes. As a brother he should have supported his brother instead of killing him. After the demise of his brother, he still denies the rightful heir to the kingship because he thinks he is more deserving than Hamlet. Such people would not waste even a minute when they see something good. They will kill, blackmail or even abduct to have what they wish for. The play writer used such a character to let the society reflect on the negative impacts of greed, selfishness and self-centeredness.
The Miser
In the play Miser, the story revolves around a selfish father who wants to control his children for his own egocentric gains. He has plans to marry his children to wealthy people to conserve and add extra to what he previously had. Things do not go the way he wants them and his children have their own choices of life partners they would want to share their lives with. Act 5 is considered the climax of everything where sudden changes happen and change everything. What the audience see all throughout the scene changes abruptly and take a new turn of events.
Harpagon invites the suitor he had chosen for Elise to come over to his place for celebration. The suitor is referred to by the name Seigneur Anselme. Anselme turns out to be a nice person who is ready to pay for the services of a police who was called over to arrest Jacques for lying about the person responsible for the theft of Harpagon’s box. He is ready to give out his money on behalf of Jacques who is a total stranger to him while Harpagon cannot do the same to his employee. His good personality saves the day as he is not ready to marry Elise if she is not willing to be married to him. Anselme also turns out to be the father of Mariane and Valere. This is considered a farce because it changes the fortunes of all the four young people who are in love.
Valere is accused of theft and is about to be arrested. Mariane on the other side is considered penniless and not fit to marry Cleante. Anselme arrival changes their situation suddenly and the two people who thought they are orphans, poor and alone in this world are suddenly rich, have a family and have found their life partners (Moliere). Cleante and Elise also have their situations change for the better because they can marry the people they wanted to marry. Elise is no longer forced to tie the knot with Anselme and Mariane is no longer penniless and Harpagon has no reason to stop their marriage.
Farce is evident in the play because these young people’s lives are suddenly changed for the better. Harpagon is forced to accept the marriage of his children by Anselme, who agreed to foot the bill for everything. This play is a good example of what happens in our society and families. The situations in which people are do not reflect on where they will be the following day. We are supposed to show respect, love and humility to people because you never know what fate has planned for them. Fate has its own way and not even parents can change the fate of their children
Works Cited
Moliere, Poquelin.”The Miser”. Theatre of the Palais-Royal, Paris.1668.Print
Shakespeare, William and Cyrus Hoy. Hamlet. New York: W.W. Norton, 1996. Print.