In these uncertain political times we are all prey to the persuasive rhetoric of possible presidents, supreme courts, all politicians, the media, and anyone else with a voice.
Who Wants Whom to Believe What? Presidential Politics and the Power of Talk: Claudius' "State of the Union" Speech in Hamlet
In these uncertain political times we are all prey to the persuasive rhetoric of possible presidents, supreme courts, all politicians, the media, and anyone else with a voice. The rhetoric seems more insultingly manipulative since the Florida vote was certified with George W. Bush leading by 537 votes. During the past few days I find myself remembering a line from a psychoanalyst that goes something like this: "All conversations are exercises in credulity...in who can get whom to believe what."
When any exchange of words is an occasion to negotiate power-under cover of well-meaning intentions-we should sharpen our skill at hearing all conversation in the contexts that illuminate them. The speeches of Bush and Gore in the next weeks will only be understood adequately in the contexts of their unspoken but driving wishes, of the latest supreme or circuit court decisions, of the most recent news, of the Gallop polls, and of the speaker's audience-specifically of the audience's eagerness or resistance to believing what they hear. In addition to asking who wants whom to believe what, we also need to ask, who wants to be persuaded of what and by whom?
My most memorable and literate introduction to the politics of the spoken word occurred in a graduate seminar on Hamlet at Wayne State University. Our professor analyzed Claudius' "state of the union" speech and the king's unspoken but relentlessly pursued aims.
First he identified the contexts of the scene-Act I, scene ii:
The scene takes place in "a room of state in the Castle" - a place where all vital matters of state are announced and discussed. Every word spoken here counts.
The people present are:
- The King (Claudius), the Queen (Gertrude), and Hamlet who enter with a "flourish"
- the King's counselor, Polonius, and his son, Laertes
followed by
- the Lords of Denmark, their attendants, and courtiers.
And the defining emotional contexts are:
- the former King Hamlet-Claudius' brother, Prince Hamlet's father-is dead
- the kingdom is in mourning-Hamlet was beloved
- the kingdom is in a state of readiness for war
- young Fortinbras, nephew to the infirm King of Norway, has raised an army against Denmark to reclaim land lost in war by his father
- Claudius, senior statesman and King Hamlet's brother, has assumed the throne of Denmark and married the Queen, Gertrude, his brother's wife
- Prince Hamlet, who is arguably the rightful heir to the throne, is admired by the populace, and although he has not staked a claim for power, Claudius knows that he could
- the audience of the Globe Theater waiting to be swept up in greatness and tragedy
Claudius addresses the court and his first task is to use this speech to establish his legitimacy. He first joins his audience in their shared loss:
Though yet of Hamlet our dear brother's death
The memory be green, and that it us befitted
To bear our hearts in grief and our whole kingdom
To be contracted in one brow of woe....
He then explains that he has married the Queen in order to unite the state in a time of war:
Therefore our sometime sister, now our queen,
The imperial jointress of this warlike state,
Havewe, as 'twere with a defeated joy,-
With one auspicious and one dropping eye...
They have made their decision and by marrying joy and grief have united the state in their union. Claudius wants to believe his speech and the audience wants to believe that he has their interests at heart and that peace and protection of the state will be uninterrupted. We reflect on these words as we do on today's political speeches because what people want to believe may or may not have any relation to what is true, if the truth is indeed knowable.
To further consolidate the legitimacy of his actions, Claudius thanks the court's advisors for their guidance which he has followed: "Your better wisdoms, which have freely gone / With this affair along. For all, our thanks."
Next Claudius must establish himself as a military leader and statesman: he announces that he is sending Cornelius and Voltimand to inform King Norway of his nephew's threat to Denmark and to gain his cooperation in "suppressing" Fortinbras' aggression. Cornelius and Voltimand leave to fulfill their duty. The natural fears of the court have been addressed and assuaged.
Claudius, surprisingly, turns next to Laertes, Polonius' son and Hamlet's only possible competitor. The tone changes and Claudius generously, pleasurably offers Laertes anything he wishes:
...what is't, Laertes?
You cannot speak of reason to the Dane,
and lose your voice; what wouldst thou beg, Laertes,
That shall not be my offer, not thy asking?
Is Claudius creating a hostile division between Laertes and Hamlet-certainly! He approves Laertes' wish to return to France-Laertes, like a good son, has returned home only to show his duty in Claudius' coronation. Claudius' power is safer with strife focused between Laertes and Hamlet and perhaps safer as well with this gesture of thanks to Polonius (appearances aside, Polonius is the only senior statesman we see). Moments later after giving his blessing to Laertes Claudius will deny Hamlet permission to resume his studies in Wittenberg and thereby deepen the trench of resentment between the two princes.
Claudius has established his legitimacy and his competence to deal with Denmark's enemies, the court has seen their Queen loyally beside him, and Claudius has thanked the architect of his support, Polonius. This done, what remains? Only Hamlet, the natural heir to the throne. The stage is clear for Claudius to raise suspicion within the court against Prince Hamlet-his only adversary.
Claudius first says the words that the court will want to hear and that cast him in benevolent light:
'Tis sweet and commendable in your nature, Hamlet,
To give these mourning duties to your father;
Now Claudius proceeds to define Hamlet in ways calculated to destroy him and to discredit him in the eyes of the court. He shrewdly uses observable facts-Hamlet's visible grief, downcast eyes, black cloakthat are true and visible but interprets these facts maliciously and leaves Hamlet no chance to raise a credible voice. It is noble, Claudius says, to grieve the death of one's father...but-
...but to persever
In obstinate condolement is a course
Of impious stubbornness; 'tis unmanly grief;
It shows a will most incorrect to heaven,
A heart unfortified, a mind impatient,
An understanding simple and unschool'd;
...
Fie! 'Tis a fault to Heven,
A fault against the dead, a fault to Nature,
To Reason most absurd....
After Claudius has used his position, his age, his established authority, his political skill to relentlessly discredit Hamlet in the eyes of the people whose support he would need if he were to challenge Claudius now or later. Think of the words used against the obviously grieving prince: obstinate, impious, stubborn, unmanly, unfortified, impatient, unschool'd. Imagine these words spoken in the context of Denmark's loss, a court facing Hamlet's brother as their king, in the context of a country threatened with war, a "state of the union" speech, in the context of their Queen's acceptance of Claudius in marriage, and in the context of Claudius' skillful dealings with Norway and Fortinbras. How will the court see their prince Hamlet now? They cannot trust him.
Having successfully broken Hamlet's favor in public, Claudius can appear loving and fair by giving back to Hamlet what is already his, his right to be king:
...think of us
As a father; for let the world take note,
you are the most immediate to our throne,
And with no less nobility of love
Than that which dearest father bears his son
Do I impart toward you.
Having successfully questioned Hamlet's sanity in front of the court, Claudius can say what everyone knows-the prince is the natural heir to the throne-and can justifiably forbid Hamlet's wish to return to his studies in Wittenberg. Claudius wants Hamlet under his watchful eyes.
After this skillfully vicious attack on Hamlet's character, Hamlet's only safety is in silence. Only when his mother asks him to remain at home does Hamlet concede, and he concedes to her:
I shall in all my best obey you, madam.
Claudius now defines Hamlet's assent in self-aggrandizing terms-he applies what today we call the "spin."
Why, 'tis a loving and a fair reply;
Be as ourself in Denmark...
Claudius, ever conscious of his public image, can declare Hamlet's words as a "gentle and unforced accord" that "sits smiling to my heart." Claudius saved his most difficult challenge for last, and now that he has successfully defined Hamlet, he can leave with his Queen and with the court following him to celebrate the new ruling couple. Very smooth, very smooth.
If we remember the essential context of this scene, Claudius' necessity to legitimize his power and to dispense with his primary threat, Prince Hamlet, we are in a far better position to realize that Hamlet is not crazy but only out-maneuvered.
By understanding Claudius' speech in context, we can see how he persuades others to believe in his legitimacy and authority, to ignore any questions about King Hamlet's death, to view Hamlet as weak-minded and disturbed, and to celebrate the restoration of order. We can easily imagine that the court is grateful to Claudius for making it easy for them to believe reassuring stories of the kingdom's integrity.
In the next weeks-December 2000-we will watch contests between the beliefs that Republicans and Democrats would have us embrace and the beliefs we wish we could swear by. Perhaps there are truths we could discover or could have discovered; however, it appears that we have left our interest in truths behind and settled for competing stories that competing storytellers want us to want to believe.
© Donald Williams 2000.
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