Big I, Eye, Aye.

              The family unit is vital to society. But allow me to clarify. The functional, loving family unit is vital to society first and foremost. A loving and functional family unit will teach their children to be good citizens – to treat others well, behave properly in groups, contribute meaningfully to society, and be respectful. The ’smaller-scale’ version of society that is the family unit serves as a training ground for children to learn adult behaviour. Whether this family unit be ‘nuclear’ or not is irrelevant. As shown in Shakespeare’s play Hamlet, a traditional ‘nuclear’ family is not necessarily fully functional and healthy to society. Hamlet’s own family, which always involves a father figure and mother figure of some sort, is proven to be the most dysfunctional of all in the book. Even the lesser nuclear, but still close, family of Polonius, Laertes and Ophelia is somewhat dysfunctional and leads to tragedy. This underlines the importance of the loving aspect of the family unit, not the conformation to the stereotypical nuclear family ’shape’.

              Not only is the family unit important as a means of learning to live in society later in life, it also satisfies humanity’s gregarious needs. Being creatures that like groups, the family unit allows a secure base group of people with whom a person may associate and feel appreciated. Fulfilling this need allows a person to grow and develop healthily. Happy citizens make a happy society that is more likely to run smoothly and without confrontations. Oppositely, those without a stable base upon which they can rely carry this instability through all aspects of their life, including their dealing and participation with society. They become a hiccup in the workings of the societal machine. However, if one can find a ways in which to overcome the disfunction of their family, they do not become a hiccup.

(( Apparently this a structural functionalist theory? ))

Hamlet
Constructed reality: Old Hamlet has died, and this is because of his Uncle poisoning him. His mother has whored herself out to his uncle, not long after his father’s body has been put in the ground. He must seek revenge. Revenge!

Outcome: A put upon act of insanity, alienating Ophelia, terrifying his mother, killing a number of people, being exiled by the King, and dying at the hands of Laertes.

Ophelia
Constructed reality: Hamlet loves her truly, but has gone mad. Hamlet has also murdered her beloved father. The two most important men in her life have both been wronged.

Outcome: Complete loss of sanity, possibly because cannot choose who (Hamlet or Polonius) is wrong/right. Death with mysterious circumstances.

Laertes
Constructed reality: Loves his father very much. Does not trust Hamlet with his sister, does not believe that he truly loves her. When Hamlet kills his father, is enraged with him.

Outcome: Attempts to overthrow King and kill Hamlet. Plots with the use of a poisoned foil in a ‘mock’ fight with Hamlet. Kills Hamlet and also dies by Hamlet.

Fortinbras
Constructed reality: Although his father lost his claim to Denmark in a duel many years ago to Old Hamlet, this is not fair. He should be able to lay a claim to the throne after Old Hamlet dies as well.

Outcome: Attempts multiple times to invade Denmark. Eventually gets to, and ends up King as the rest of the court has just died.

Gertrude
Constructed reality: Husband has died, and must remarry. Motives for this are never revealed in the play… whether she does so because she never loved Old Hamlet, because she was in on the plan to murder Old Hamlet, or simply because she needed to remain on the throne for her son. However, she believes something is wrong with Hamlet, and goes along with Claudius’ plans throughout the play. She appears to still love her son, however.

Outcome: Dies because of King and Laertes plan to poison Hamlet. Son loses any respect for her.

Claudius
Constructed reality: He must get the throne, and poisons his own brother for it. Hamlet is dangerous and must be removed (attemps to kill him multiple ways – exile with death warrant, poisoned wine, poison-tipped blade).

Outcome: Dies at the hand of Hamlet. Ends up killing his own wife, Gertrude, who he seems to care for, in the course of trying to kill Hamlet. His blinding need for the throne starts the conflict of the entire play, and leads to the death of many many characters.

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