Boy Staunton and Claudius both share very similar lifestyles. Both men demonstrate a need for wealth, success, and power. In the novel Fifth Business, Boy Staunton can easily be characterized as a privileged, spoiled and self-centered person. From the beginning, Boy is revealed as someone who sees himself above everyone else. For example, Dunstan writes: “His parents were rich, his clothes were beautiful and. her mittens were made of skin and leather I came from a store in the city, while mine were knitted by my mother” (Davies 1). violent should not be banned"? Get the original essay The boy's ambition grows throughout the novel, as he yearns for a life filled with more power and success than his father declares, " Boy was fast becoming one of the truly rich, by which I mean one of those men whose personal income [...] stands behind them and cannot be counted, only estimated” (Davies 1). Boy's entire life seems to revolve around his wealth, so much so that he has a crumbling relationship with his wife and never takes the time to improve himself. a person. Since he only focuses on his ambitions, Boy dies a tragic death, the exact same person he was as a child. This same type of ambition is also found in Hamlet. Claudius, Hamlet's uncle, shares the same desire for power as Boy Staunton. Claude's ambition pushes him to murder his own brother to become the new king of Denmark and marry his sister-in-law, Queen Gertrude. When Hamlet speaks to the ghost, he is told, “But know, noble young man,/The serpent that stole your father's life/Now wears his crown” (1.5.38-40). Hamlet discovers that his uncle is his father's murderer and learns of the great lengths he went to to steal the high position of power. Additionally, Claudius later becomes increasingly concerned about Hamlet's strange behavior and worries that he might know something about his crimes. In order to preserve his title as king, Claudius sends Hamlet to England, claiming it is for his own protection. However, his manipulative ambition motivates him to send letters ordering Hamlet's death. He is so obsessed with power that he will do anything to obtain it, even if it means killing his own family members. Claude's ambition goes even further when he attempts to poison Hamlet. However, his plan backfires and Gertrude dies instead. Hamlet said to Claudius: “Here, you incestuous, murderous, damned Dane, drink this potion. Is your union here?/Am my mother” (5.2.320-322). Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get a personalized article from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay As a result of his plan failing, Claudies also dies. Although Claudius' desire for power is much more violent and extreme than Boy's, both characters prove that misused ambition can lead to one's own downfall...