Introduction
Shakespeare’s Hamlet and The Godfather Part II are two of the most recognized masterpieces of literature and cinema, respectively. These pieces dig into complicated topics like power, betrayal, and family and investigate how they connect. Both works include people who crave power and are obsessed with their desires. This essay will examine and contrast the primary themes of power, family, and betrayal in The Godfather Part II and Hamlet and how they ultimately lead to the main character’s demise.
The Theme of Power
The Godfather Part II and Hamlet’s central protagonists are motivated by a desire for power. In The Godfather Part II, Michael Corleone takes over the family company and grows its power (Coppola et al.). In contrast, the protagonist in Hamlet wishes to avenge his father’s death and seize control of the realm (SparkNotes 21). Michael and Hamlet’s fixation with power drives them to take actions that lead to their demise. Michael turns vicious and alienates those closest to him, while Hamlet is driven by vengeance and eventually loses sight of his duty as the true successor to the kingdom.
The Importance of Family
The topic of family is essential to both The Godfather Part II and Hamlet. The Corleone family is tightly linked and passionately devoted in The Godfather Part II, but their allegiance is challenged as they strive to preserve their authority and safeguard their interests. Similarly, the power struggle between the many groups competing for control of the kingdom tears Hamlet’s family apart (SparkNotes 7). Both works’ main protagonists face tough decisions that test their allegiance to their families, ultimately leading to their demise.
Betrayal
Both The Godfather Part II and Hamlet include repeated themes of betrayal. Those closest to Michael, including his brother, Fredo, and best friend, Tom Hagen, betray him (Coppola et al.). Similarly, Hamlet’s mother, Queen Gertrude, and his best friends, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, betray him. These betrayals eventually lead to the main characters’ collapse, as they lose their capacity to trust those closest to them.
Comparison and Contrast
The Godfather Part II and Hamlet are comparable in that the central characters are driven by their ambition for power, which ultimately leads to their destruction. The manner in which this topic is treated in both pieces, however, differs. Control is achieved by organized crime in The Godfather Part II, but power is earned through royalty in Hamlet.
Furthermore, the characters in The Godfather Part II are more ruthless and calculated in their quest for power, whereas the characters in Hamlet are more romantic and passionate. Both works tackle the idea of family similarly, with Corleone and Hamlet’s families being closely connected and passionately devoted.
On the other hand, the family relations in The Godfather Part II are more complicated, with several groups competing for control of the family enterprise (Coppola et al.). In comparison, the familial relationships in Hamlet are more apparent, with the significant conflict centered on a power struggle inside the kingdom.
Lastly, both works similarly tackle the issue of betrayal, with the significant protagonists being deceived by those closest to them. The title figure of Hamlet is tricked by his uncle Claudius, who murders his father and marries his mother (SparkNotes 6). This treachery devastates Hamlet, and he spends the rest of the play pursuing vengeance.
In The Godfather Part II, Michael is betrayed by his brother, Fredo, who conspires against him and eventually aids his enemies. As a result of this betrayal, Michael orders Fredo’s execution. Apart from the idea of betrayal, another theme that runs across both works is the concept of power and its corrupting impact.
Several of the characters in Hamlet, including Claudius and Hamlet himself, are motivated by a desire for power (SparkNotes 9). Claudius is determined to go to any length to keep the throne, including murdering his brother. On the other hand, Hamlet gets obsessed with vengeance, which finally leads to his demise.
Similarly, in The Godfather Part II, their opponents continually threaten the Corleone family’s dominance, and they resort to murder and trickery to keep their empire together. As he climbs to prominence, Michael becomes crueler, and even those closest to him are not immune to his anger (Coppola et al.). This desire for power eventually leads to Michael’s demise, as he loses sight of his humanity in the quest for domination.
Despite their similarities, the two pieces have significant distinctions. For example, although Hamlet is a tragedy about the human condition and the complexity of morality, The Godfather Part II is a crime drama about the inner workings of organized crime. Power and money are more important to the protagonists in The Godfather than philosophical considerations about life and death.
Furthermore, while both works have complicated characters, The Godfather Part II’s character development is more sophisticated than Hamlet’s. One witnessed Michael grow from a young guy attempting to disassociate himself from his family’s illicit enterprises to a ruthless leader prepared to go to any length to maintain his empire (Coppola et al.). It also flashbacks to Vito Corleone’s childhood in Italy, which sheds light on his character and how he rose to become the family’s Don.
Conclusion
In conclusion, despite their differences in subject and style, Shakespeare’s Hamlet and The Godfather Part II share many commonalities. Both works deal with betrayal and the corrupting effect of authority, and they include complicated characters whose actions have far-reaching implications. While they differ in many ways, their continued success attests to their timeless appeal and the universality of the subjects they portray.
Works Cited
Coppola, Francis Ford, et al. The Godfather, Part II. Amazon Prime, Paramount, 2017. Web.
SparkNotes editors. “No Fear Hamlet.” SparkNotes LLC, 2005. Web.