Father-Child Relationships in Hamlet and Fences Essay

In both William Shakespeares hamlet and majestic Wil tidingss Fences, the emphasis placed on parent-child birth is vital, as family plays an important role in ontogeny a characters values as well as his or her upbringing does. while Ophelia, Laertes, and hamlet show loyalty to their fathers unconditionally, Cory, redden though looks up troy weight as a figure, at long decease exhibits disrespect to him. The relationship that Ophelia shares with her father, Polonius, is rather dogmatic to understand the least.Throughout juncture, 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 lack of independent thought, Ophelia does not oppose Polonius for instance when Polonius challenges Hamlets intentions with Ophelia, she can only say I do not know, my lord, what I should think. (I. iii).Ophelia allows herself to be controlled, even rebuffing her love for Hamlet simply because Polonius suggests her not to give words or talk with the Lord Hamlet, (I. v) which illustrates the grandeur 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 new(prenominal) affairs. Polonius seems to be dominant and almost controlling. However, Ophelia is never rebellious. fleck Ophelia shows her faithfulness to her father dependently, Laertes consciously respect his father.Though they whitethorn not have the best relationship before Polonius is murdered, it was clear that Laertes feels it to be essential that he proves his love for his father after his father has passed. The headspring is, does Laertes always have a passion for his father, and if not, why does he feel that he has to take revenge for his fathers honor in the second half of the play? Polonius says to King Claudius before Laertess departure, He hath, my lord, wrung from me my slow leave/ By labour nearly petition, and at last/ Upon his will I sealed my unassailable consent. / I do beseech you give him leave to go. (I. ii). These lines show that Polonius is reluctant to let his news leave.When Laertes in the end reaches France, it is discovered by us readers that Polonius still has little faith in his son to take perplexity 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 trusted 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 attempt of retri plainlyion 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 kno wn, as Hamlet mentions, so excellent a king (I. ii). These lines, See, what a grace was seated on his brow/ Hyperions curls, the bird-scarer of Jove himself/ An eye like Mars, to threaten 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 come from love, but at least it represents the responsibility from a son to his father.In champion of Aichingers essays about Hamlet, he points out that Hamlets rejection of the moral standards of his society is crystallized by the events which follow 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 Troys sel fishness or Corys noncompliance, Troy 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 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 bingle 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 contrast in that relation. Cory asks his father, How come you aint never liked me? and Troy answers, Liked you? Who the hell say I got to like you? / You eat everyday / Got a roof 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 Cory because of his duty. T roy 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 concisely fence himself in to be a selfish, hostile man. In Wade Bradfords analytical essay, he claims that These set pieces will provide the literal and metaphoric activity of the play building a fence around Troys property. So, Cory is not Troys property? His selfishness seems large enough to dissemble his love to the family, especially, to Cory. Troy subconsciously doesnt want to see Corys success in lark 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 soda waters funeral,(II. v). His refusal to participate in Troys funeral shows that the wound in their relationship would never be healed. Cory just cannot forgive his father. Their relationship is 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 storyline 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 rightfully 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.