Father-Child Relationships in Hamlet and Fences Essay

In twain William Shakespeares village and August Wilsons Fences, the emphasis placed on parent-child kind is vital, as family plays an important role in developing a characters values as well as his or her upbringing does. while Ophelia, Laertes, and juncture show loyalty to their arrives unconditionally, Cory, even though looks up troy as a figure, eventually exhibits dis look upon to him. The kinship that Ophelia shares with her breed, Polonius, is rather despotic to say the least.Through break Hamlet, Polonius demonstrates almost absolute control over Ophelia as if she were a tool with the sole purpose of serving Polonius. As a result of a weakness of mind caused by a overlook of independent thought, Ophelia does not oppose Polonius for instance when Polonius challenges Hamlets intentions with Ophelia, she puke only say I do not know, my lord, what I should think. (I. iii).Ophelia allows herself to be controlled, even rebuffing her savour for Hamlet simply because Pol onius suggests her not to give course or talk with the Lord Hamlet, (I. v) which illustrates the importance Ophelia place on her familial obligations. The structure and guidance that Polonius provides for Ophelia, leads her to affirm that she shall obey him (I. iv). Ophelia is subservient to her fathers wishes and looks up to his patriarchal position. She listens to Polonius counsel. She places her father (and family) above other affairs. Polonius implementms to be prevailing and almost controlling. However, Ophelia is never rebellious. While Ophelia shows her faithfulness to her father dependently, Laertes consciously respect his father.Though they may not have the surmount relationship so unmatchabler Polonius is murdered, it was clear that Laertes feels it to be essential that he proves his love for his father later on his father has passed. The question is, does Laertes always have a passion for his father, and if not, wherefore does he feel that he has to take revenge f or his fathers honor in the second half of the play? Polonius says to King Claudius in advance Laertess departure, He hath, my lord, wrung from me my slow leave/ By laboursome petition, and at pull through/ Upon his will I sealed my hard consent. / I do constrict you give him leave to go. (I. ii). These lines show that Polonius is reluctant to let his son leave.When Laertes at long at last reaches France, it is discovered by us readers that Polonius nevertheless has little faith in his son to take care of himself. However, to keep an eye on his son, Polonius still orders his servant to France to secretly spy on Laertes and to make sure that he is doing alright. Polonius loves his son and daughter in a protective manner. Thats why he gains Laertes and Ophelias admiration. Similar to Laertes, Hamlet devotes his later life to an assay of retribution to his fathers death.Hamlet looks up to his father because he feels that he is a great leader and the bravest man that he has known , as Hamlet mentions, so excellent a king (I. ii). These lines, See, what a benediction was seated on his brow/ Hyperions curls, the front of Jove himself/ An eye like Mars, to hazard or command/ A station like the herald Mercury, shows that Hamlet is willing to revenge for his father. His act of taking revenge may not completely get from love, but at least it represents the responsibility from a son to his father.In one of Aichingers essays about Hamlet, he points out that Hamlets rejection of the moral standards of his society is crystallized by the events which represent his fathers death. Hamlet is even obsessed to the idea of vengeance that remarkably transforms him from an average, responsible, young prince to an apparently mad, raging son intent upon avenging his fathers death. We see responsibility, obedience, and devotion in father-child relationships in Hamlet. But troy-Cory relationship in Fences is not the case.Whether the cause is generational gap or troy weights selfishness or Corys noncompliance, troy weight never completely gains the love from his own son even after his death. Their relationship never blooms. Initially, Cory may innocently display his admiration to troy weight because of his athletic ability and because of a simple reason a love from a normal son to his father. Through Roses word, we know that Cory tries to do as best as he can to earn one compliment from his father, Everything that boy do he do for you.He wants you to say Good job, son. Thats all. (I. iii). Unfortunately, theres always a conflict in that relation. Cory asks his father, How come you aint never liked me? and Troy answers, Liked you? Who the brilliance say I got to like you? / You eat everyday / Got a cover over your head / Got clothes on your back / What you think that is? / Its my job. / Its my responsibility (I. iii). This conversation between Cory and Troy clarifies everything. Troy doesnt like his son. Troy takes care of his family including Co ry because of his duty. Troy thinks he owe Cory.Of course, there must be some love from Troy to Cory, from a father to his son, but the bitter experiences Troy has in the past soon make do himself in to be a selfish, hostile man. In Wade Bradfords analytical essay, he claims that These set pieces will provide the literal and nonliteral activity of the play building a fence around Troys property. So, Cory is not Troys property? His selfishness seems large bounteous to overwhelm his love to the family, especially, to Cory. Troy subconsciously doesnt want to see Corys success in sport which also means Troy is a failure.If theres no whole-hearted love, duty becomes tiresome to Troy. The last fight between Troy and Cory is the straw that breaks the camels back. Cory says Im not going to Papas funeral,(II. v). His refusal to participate in Troys funeral shows that the wound in their relationship would never be healed. Cory in force(p) cannot forgive his father. Their relationship i s always bitter and tense. Cory never fulfils his obligation as a son to Troy. Father-child relationship dominates both Hamlet and Fences. It is the scaffold that constructs the plot line in Fences.While Hamlet also deals with other issues, the parental relationship is the cause influencing most of the characters actions and behaviors. The contrast in father-child relationship in both plays is obvious. In the theme of post-medieval time in Hamlet, those connections are more really dogmatic and include the devotion of ones life to another. In the near-modern setting, the relationship among people may contain barriers of egocentric that separate them from one to another even that is the relationship between a father and his child.