Father-Son Relationships In Hamlet And August Wilson's Fences

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William Shakespeare's Hamlet and August Wilson's Fences are built upon father-son relationships. Both plays show a connection between father and son that overrides any other power, whether fought for through murder or through something as simple as a cold-hearted attitude. While Claudius and Troy share selfish, lustful roles and refuse to realize the potential of a loved one because that would mean accepting their own misfortune, both characters will strive to maintain their ultimate goal of a life filled with power and deceit. Besides the obvious socioeconomic status differences between the two families in each play, there is a similar story told behind each but they are shown through different perspectives and to contrasting extents. In Hamlet, Claudius' character is developed into a shrewd and conniving one. Following the murder of his brother and marriage to Gertrude, his ex-sister-in-law, Claudius only thinks of himself and not that of the people living in the country he now rules, Denmark or even his loved ones surrounding him. Shortly after Hamlet accidentally killed Polonius with Gertrude in the room, Claudius could only wonder what if he had been in the…show more content…
Hamlet was a prince, what else could he want? Cory and Lyon had a good wholesome family from the start and figured their father would be supportive of anything they put their minds to. All the children were living in fantasy worlds, or so they thought. Prince Hamlet's world got turned upside-down when his beloved father was murdered by Claudius and everything got worse, much worse; while Cory and Lyon were both denied their attempts to live their dreams by their father because it is as though he expected them to fail at their dreams as he failed at his. Cory and Lyon realized that times had changed and blacks were now accepted onto sports teams but the disapproval of Troy held them

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