Hamlets Claudius Essay, Research Paper

Of all the characters in Shakespeare? s Hamlet I find the function of Claudius to be the most challenging and important function in this calamity. Claudius is the most controversial, the most cryptic and the most talked about character in this drama. Many people look at Claudius and merely see a scoundrel, but there are extra sides to him that are frequently overlooked. Claudius the male parent, the hubby, the swayer and the mortal person. In this drama the characters are non super-human existences. They make errors, merely as Claudius does, but it goes to demo that they are merely human.

Claudius, the male parent is really recognizable in Scene 2 of Act 1. He states to Hamlet get downing at Line 109 & # 8220 ; ? think of us as of a male parent: for allow the universe return note, you are the most immediate to our throne, and with no less aristocracy of love that that which dearest male parent bears his boy do I leave toward you. & # 8221 ; Hamlet is & # 8220 ; Our chiefest courtier, cousin and our son. & # 8221 ; ( Line 119 ) Here Claudius is talking to Hamlet and stating that he is loved and accepted even since he is non Claudius & # 8217 ; natural boy. Claudius seems to hold no problem talking to his boy Hamlet in forepart of a crowd. But when the two work forces are entirely, Claudius is at a loss for words and can non calculate out what to state, or when to state it. It could be that the King feels so guilty about slaying King Hamlet that he is unable to talk to Hamlet in private, for fright of his true ego emerging.

Along the same lines, Claudius is besides a great and autonomous leader. When immature Fortinbras came to demand the resignation of those lands lost by his male parent to King Hamlet, Claudius handled the affair with such easiness and grace. He informed Fortinbras that a missive was traveling to be sent to the King of Norway stating him & # 8220 ; ? to stamp down his ( Fortinbras ) further pace herein. & # 8221 ; ( 1. 2. 30. ) Claudius realized that a war at the beginning of his regulation would non look good, particularly since there had been the idea of & # 8220 ; incest & # 8221 ; traveling about. He did non desire to be blamed for defiling the Queen? s bed and for destructing the mighty land. Another interesting thing about Claudius is that in his formal addresss he uses the plural signifier of & # 8220 ; we & # 8221 ; connoting that the Crown besides has a say in official affairs.

Claudius, the hubby is a small less easy to acknowledge, but still merely as of import. The Queen is identified as & # 8220 ; ? our erstwhile sister, now our queen, Thursday? imperial jointress? & # 8221 ; by Claudius ( 1. 2. 8. ) The personal life of the King and Queen is kept merely that ; non much is known of them outside of what Hamlet says. Yet even that can non be taken earnestly, for we do non cognize the truth behind the affair. Beside what we do non cognize about the hubby in Claudius, we can be certain that he did handle Gertrude with regard and self-respect or she would non hold stayed with him, or even married him in the first topographic point.

The King is besides a scoundrel, a liquidator, a plotter and a prevaricator. Claudius, during Act 3, Scene 3, reveals to the readers that he did slay King Hamlet. During Claudius? foremost few lines in Act 1 Scene 2 he says, & # 8220 ; The memory be green, and that it us befitted to bear our Black Marias in heartache and our whole land to be contracted in one forehead of suffering? & # 8221 ; and this is a spot dry that he is talking of heartache, particularly since he is non bereaved and he was the cause of all the heartache.

During all that is traveling on in the drama, we the readers realize that Claudius is a mortal, human being. He has emotions, he makes errors and he goes through tests. C

laudius possesses a scruples, one which barely makes him cowardly but instead makes him an mistaking human being, non an inhumane monster. Claudius provinces in Act 111 Scene 3 Lines 70-72 “O wretched province! O bosom black as decease ; O limed psyche, that fighting to be free art more engag? d.” This quotation mark shows how Claudius’ bosom has changed due to his actions and the reactions of others. His bosom is heavy and black from all the wickedness he has committed. He is non able to happen a manner for his actions to be justified so he is drab and blue.

As compared to other characters Claudius does non travel through any drastic alterations during the drama. Yes it is true that the & # 8220 ; mouse pin down & # 8221 ; reveals the concealed side of Claudius, a side that should non hold been shown. He merely becomes a small disturbance and so finally gets over it. Claudius in fact remains a strong and solid character throughout the drama, who & # 8217 ; s presence can be felt in every action that Hamlet makes.

Claudius besides has a really important function in this drama. He killed King Hamlet and hence is the ground for the & # 8220 ; conflict. & # 8221 ; Claudius was involved in the & # 8220 ; lifting action & # 8221 ; of the drama which included the & # 8220 ; mouse pin down & # 8221 ; and in the & # 8220 ; falling action & # 8221 ; of the drama which included the secret plan for the slaying of Hamlet. The & # 8220 ; flood tide & # 8221 ; besides revolves around the character of Claudius ; if he had non been on his articulatio genuss inquiring God for forgiveness, he would hold been murdered. Claudius besides caused the slaying of Gertrude and the murder of Hamlet and of himself ; which led to the terminal of the drama.

Claudius, despite being the alleged & # 8220 ; bad cat & # 8221 ; , has many similar qualities in which & # 8220 ; tragic hero & # 8221 ; or Hamlet possesses. These two work forces are liquidators, plotters and prevaricators, but they besides are passionate work forces. They both possesses a quality to love and care for Gertrude in a unique and particular manner. These work forces are both strong and influential characters. Hamlet gets what he wants in revenging his male parent & # 8217 ; s & # 8220 ; cruel and unnatural murder. & # 8221 ; Claudius besides carries out his programs for slaying, but both secret plans turn out otherwise than one would anticipate.

The enemy emerged in this drama and we the readers had no pick but to dislike Claudius. He killed the King, stole the King & # 8217 ; s married woman and took the throne all in a affair of three hebdomads. Claudius was non born a scoundrel, but due to his actions and the kingdom & # 8217 ; s reactions, he became a homicidal beast. Claudius was really deft and clever. He concealed his true feelings really good. The lone dislocation he made was during the & # 8220 ; mouse pin down & # 8221 ; which finally led to the ruin of his land and the deceases of guiltless people.

This adult male was evil and he was good. Due to all the palliating fortunes that Claudius faced, he emerged with a desire, a desire and a passion for retaliation. Claudius had the demand to ever be in control, but he could non command Hamlet. This control compulsion led to the deceases of two Kings, two boies, two male parents, two hubbies, a step-father, a married woman, a female parent, a girl and two embassadors, nine in entire. This calamity & # 8217 ; s whole secret plan revolved around deciding one incident. King Hamlet & # 8217 ; s slaying by Claudius preceded the drama, and Claudius & # 8217 ; actions to slay Hamlet reason the drama. This character, in my sentiment, is one of the greatest good turned-bad turned-even worse characters of all clip. His strength to acquire through all of the fortunes in this drama is enormous. In the terminal, Claudius was the cause of nine deceases, including himself. Claudius & # 8217 ; compulsion for control and power ruined one of the greatest lands in history.