Hamlet Claudius Essay Research Paper Hamlet Character

Hamlet Claudius Essay, Research Paper

Hamlet Character Analysis Paper: Claudius

In the play, “Hamlet”, Shakespeare needed to devize an evil character, a villain that is ambitious, and has the ability to scheme to get what he wants. The character would also have to contain some good qualities, such as kindness and contriteness. These good qualities make the character seem more human and thus, more believable. Claudius is this character. Shakespeare uses Claudius in his revenge theme in this play. Without the acts of Claudius, this theme just would not be. The entire play revolves around what Claudius has done, or will do.

The evil traits of Claudius by far outweigh the good things he does. He is very ambitious, perhaps too ambitious. Claudius wanted to be king so badly, that he murdered his own brother to achieve his goal. This is how the revenge theme is weaved into the

play. Hamlet, the dead king s son learns of the act from a ghost,

“A serpent stung me; so the whole ear of Denmark

Is by a forged process of my death

Rankly abused; but now that noble youth The serpent that did sting thy father s life

Now wears his crown.” (Act I, Sc. V, Lines 42-46)

Claudius not only wanted to be the king of Denmark, he also wanted the queen that came with it. In Act I Sc. II Lines 8-14, Claudius has just recently been crowned king and is addressing the court. He shows in his words how happy he is to be married to Gertrude, the Queen.

“herefore our sometime sister, now our queen,

The imperial jointress to this warlike state,

Have we, as twere with a defeated joy,

With an auspicious, and dropping eye,

With mirth in funeral, and with dirge in marriage,

In equal scale weighing delight and dole,

Taken to wife; ….”

The ambition of Claudius lays the foundation for the theme of revenge. Without his need to be king and his willingness to do anything for it, the play would be completely different. This evil trait is, in part, what in the end kills Claudius.

Claudius other evil trait, his scheming, also leads to his death. An example of one of Claudius many plans was when he summoned Rozencrantz and Guildenstern to do some spying on Hamlet to find out what was ailing him.

“Moreover that we much did long to see you,

The need we have to use you did provoke

Our hasty sending. Something have you heard

Of hamlets transformation,… …so by your companies

To draw him on to pleasures, and to gather

So much as from occasion you may glean,

Whether aught to us unknown afflicts him thus

That, opened, lies within our remedy.”

(Act II Sc. II Lines 2-5, 14-18)

Another time Claudius creates a plan in which he manipulates to get what he wants is when he sends Polonius to Gertrude s closet, where he ll hide and listen to Hamlet as he tells her everything.

My lord, he s going to his mother s closet.

Behind the arras I ll convey myself

To hear the process. I ll warrant she ll tax him home;

And, as you said, and wisely was it said,

Tis meet that some more audience than a mother,

Since nature makes them partial, should o er hear

The speech, of vantage.” (Act III Sc. III Lines 29-35)

Claudius most risky plot was when he and Laertes planned to kill Hamlet. Now, Claudius is aware that Hamlet knows about his crime and wishes him dead. Claudius, in a plan to save himself, has Laertes and Hamlet engage in a fencing match. Laertes has his sword poisoned in an effort to do Hamlet in once and for all.

“And for that purpose I ll anoint my sword,

I bought an unction of a mountebank,

So mortal that, but a dip a knife in it,

Where it draws blood no cataplasm so rare,

Collected from all simples that have virtue

Under the moon, can save the thing from death

That is but scratched withal. I ll touch my point With this

Contagion, that, if I gall him slightly,

It may mean death.” (Act IV Sc. VII Lines 156-164)

This was the idea that was made by Laertes. Claudius, always thinking, comes up with a back up plan in case this fails,

“Let s further think of this,

Weigh what convenience both of time and means

May fit us to our shape. If this should fail,

And that our drift look through our bad performance,

Twere better not assayed. Therefore this project

Should have a back or second, that might hold

If this did blast in proof. …

…And that he calls for a drink, I ll have prepared him

A chalice for the nonce; whereon but sipping

If he by a chance escape your venomed stuck,

Our purpose may hold there.”

(Act IV Sc. VII Lines 165-171, 176-179)

The match is arranged and Hamlet And Laertes compete. All starts well but then over the next few moments both Hamlet and Laertes are struck with the poisoned sword. Upon this, Laertes spills his guts revealing all to Hamlet. Claudius is then killed. This all fits into Shakespeare s theme of revenge by if Claudius did not have this trait, the plans would never have been made and the play would be different. Also, the death of Claudius ends the theme. With Cl

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