Both Orwell’s Winston and Shakespeare’s Hamlet violate the conventions of their societies, yet in different ways. In
most instances, the protagonist follows the rules of society and the antagonist breaks them. These two are examples of how
authors create protagonists that willingly break major rules of their society.
Winston is a very innocent man who breaks the laws of a tyrannical socialist government. He evokes much sympathy
from the readers, because he is just trying to live the life that is only possible in the reader’s reality. He holds a rare quality of
individualism and true passion that most others in his society lack. Winston realizes that he does not love his government and
will not abide by its rules. He writes in a diary and has a secret affair with a woman he falls in love with. His thoughts and
actions are just, but the reader is the only one who can see that. In his society he is a rebel who commits acts worthy of
torturing or even death. Orwell creates Winston to induce a feeling of empathy in the reader. The reader sees Winston as a
helplessly oppressed minority who can do nothing to change the world around him, and must stay strong in doing what he
believes in. Most people have been in a situation they wanted to break free while they were being controlled and forced to live
a certain way they did not believe in. They can relate to Winston.
Hamlet is the protagonist in Shakespeare’s famous play, “Hamlet,” however he is not nearly as innocent as Winston.
Hamlet commits the crime of murder, but if murder can ever be justifiable it is so in his case. Hamlet is an honest, law-abiding
man until he realizes that his father has been murdered and did not die of natural causes. He then vows to avenge his death.
He kills his girlfriend’s father accidentally instead of the murderer. Later he also kills another man as well as his Uncle who
murdered his father. Shakespeare created in Hamlet, a protagonist that does not cause a single empathetic emotion, but a roller
coaster of wavering support. At one moment the reader sympathizes with Hamlet as he morns his father’s death, but then he
kills his girlfriend’s father. The audience is struggling internally just like the character. The audience at times has trouble
deciding whether they support Hamlet’s decisions, and Hamlet also has trouble deciding whether he supports his own decisions
as well. Shakespeare wrote it so the audience in a way feels the same as the character, and thereby understands him without
even knowing it.
While both Hamlet and Winston evoke different emotions from readers, the main intention of their characterizations is
to give the reader something to relate to. It’s not always desirable to follow the rules, which is why they have to be enforced.
The reader knows this and can still watch the protagonist break crucial laws of their society, making the criminal the hero.
Lord Action wrote, “Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” It is human nature for power to be
invigorating. There are very few individuals who would not be pleased by holding power. Unfortunately power corrupts the
purest of souls. Power is like an addictive drug. Once one has a taste of power they are pleased by it and crave more.
Eventually the more power they have the stronger their desire for power grows. Eventually morals are compromised and one
will let nothing stand in the way of keeping and expanding power. Both Macbeth and Claudius are both examples of how
power corrupts people. The men in the world of these characters who has the most absolute power is the kings. Both Macbeth
and Claudius compromise all morals, and kill their trusting king in an effort to rise to power.
Macbeth is a loyal noble of Kind Duncan in Scotland. He fights bravely and successfully, winning the trust of the
King. One day a few witches put thoughts into Macbeth’s head about becoming king. This suggestive prophecy is Duncan’s
small taste of power. It causes him to dream of what it would be like to become King. He realizes that he must become king,
no matter what measures must be taken. He compromises his morals by killing King Duncan and gaining the power of the
throne. The power of king is absolute, and Macbeth becomes absolutely corrupt. When Macbeth’s most trusted friend
suspects that he murdered Duncan, he feels that his power is threatened. He then has his best friend killed simply because he
poses a threat. Macbeth not only loses his morals, but his whole personality changes. Before meeting the witches he is a
loving husband, a courageous general and a loyal subject of the king. After meeting the witches he kills the king, has his friend
killed, and ignores his wife. This is an example of how power corrupts absolutely.
Claudius is the brother of King Hamlet in Denmark. The king trusts his brother Claudius, but he is tragically
betrayed. Claudius sees all the power his brother has, the command of a country and a good queen. Claudius has neither a
wife nor command over a country. Claudius begins a secretive affair with his brother’s wife, which is his first taste of King
Hamlet’s power. Claudius decides to murder King Hamlet to get him out of the throne and out of bed with his wife. As soon
as King Hamlet dies Claudius jumps right onto the former king’s throne, and in bed (publicly) with the former king’s wife. All
his morals are compromised when he kills his brother. Claudius confesses his guilt in his prayers, proving that he feels he did
something wrong. When Hamlet finds out that Claudius killed his father, he plots revenge. Claudius sees Hamlet as a threat to
his power. He knew that if Hamlet did not intend to end his life he would at least end his power, which meant losing the throne
and his wife. Once Claudius held that power he could not let it go. He tries to send Hamlet away. When that doesn’t work he
tries to have him killed. To gain and keep his power Claudius tries to kill his two closest family members, his brother and
nephew. He is corrupted most absolutely.