Abuse Of Power In Elizabethan Era

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What would you do if you were to be given great authority and power? There are those who would be responsible and treat such power with the utmost care, and yet there are those who would use their authority for personal gain as if it were a child’s play toy. Corruption is everywhere; there is no limitation to where or when it can happen. One of the most notable examples of the abuse of power, and the catastrophe that can occur from the aftermath is during the Elizabethan era in England. While the Elizabethan era may be regarded as the golden age for English literature, the political treachery and mistreatment of the poor was by far more significant to the history of England. During this era lived a well-known playwright and poet by the name…show more content…
Firstly, Hamlet is a play of a man by the name of Hamlet, whose father was murdered by Claudius, his uncle. Claudius murdered the king by pouring poison in his ear to claim the throne for himself. Hamlet is then told by a ghost to murder Claudius for revenge, and he struggles within himself for the length of play whether to do it or not. When Hamlet begins to hesitate it does more damage than good and causes a chain reaction of tragic events, and makes the readers question whether Hamlet is truly sane or not. Claudius’s corruptness begins to show when he uses his authority to order those around him to rid of Hamlet. In the end Hamlet steps up to plate, killing Claudius and putting the fate of Denmark in good…show more content…
As said earlier, Elizabeth forbid any books or opinions from considering her an illegitimate queen and expressing that her sister had more of a right to the throne. No one will truly know how Shakespeare felt about Queen Elizabeth’s choices during her reign, but one can assume that Shakespeare implicitly conveyed his thoughts of England’s government through his plays. In Hamlet, Claudius is seen as a corrupt character that uses shameful tactics to get what he wants, and lies to those around him to use them as spies and pawns in his game. The Duke in Measure to Measure also uses spying as a way to get the information he needs. Macbeth went on a murderous rampage when he was threatened by others who attempted to steal his position and power as king. Queen Elizabeth used spies in similar ways as the characters did in Shakespeare’s plays as well as using violent ways to protect herself and her

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