Many great works
of literature often focus on personal tragedy and ways of overcoming it. In Shakespeare's Hamlet, however, the
inability of the main characters to confront their problems properly leads to
the destruction of all. The antagonist
of the play, Claudius, allows his personal ambition for power to overshadow the
will of his conscience.
Hamlet opens at
the royal castle of Elsinore where a ghost bearing the visage of the recently
deceased King Hamlet is seen walking the halls in battle gear. Later it is learned that his brother,
Claudius, has taken to the throne with King Hamlet's ex-wife, Gertrude, after
only two months since the King's passing.
The son of the deceased King, Hamlet, sees the marriage as a travesty
stating, "(Oh God! A beast that wants discourse of reason would have
mourned longer) married with my uncle; My father's brother, but no more like my
father than I to Hercules." (Shakespeare 13) Clearly, Hamlet sees the
marriage as incestuous in the beginning ; but he doesn't take action until he
is visited by the apparition of his father who
proclaims that
Claudius killed him in lust for power.
Hamlet is asked, "If thou didst ever thy dear father love - oh God
- Revenge his foul and most unnatural murder." (27) Here begins Hamlet's quest to avenge his
father by laying ruin to King Claudius.
To be certain of the King's guilt, Hamlet puts on a play bearing a resemblance
to how the ghost described the murder.
When King Claudius views it, he feels a sudden pang of conscience and
abruptly leaves. This flinch provides a
first glance by the reader, and
Hamlet that
Claudius is guilty and is at odds with himself for his foul actions.
From a soliloquy
after storming out of the play, the reader becomesaware of the personal anguish
Claudius possesses. "O, my offense
is rank, itsmells to heaven; It hath the primal eldest curse upon't, A
brother's murder!
Pray can I not,
though inclination be as sharp as will.
My stronger guilt defeats my strong intent."(84) For Claudius the act of killing his brother
was a grievous one that he now regrets.
His strong intent and ambition for the throne has caused him turmoil in
heaven's eyes. The primary
consequence of
Claudius's actions on his character is that he will now have to make a huge
decision as is delineated further into the soliloquy. "But, o, what form of prayer can serve
my turn? Forgive me my foul murder? That
cannot be; since
I am still possessed of these effects for which I did the murder - My crown,
mine own ambition, and my queen. May one
be pardoned and retain offense?" (84)
Will he give up the worldly things he now possesses for forgiveness or
will he keep on, undaunted by his guilt
and remain
stained by his ultimate sin? It seems
that the king cannot give up his precious power, but instead asks others to
join him in an attempt to oust Hamlet and retain the crown. Claudius asks Laertes, " Will you be
ruled by me (...) I will work him to an exploit now ripe in my device under
which he shall not choose but fall; and for his death no wind of blame shall we
breath." (116) Power hungry and
greedy, King Claudius has rejected the notions of morality by attempting to
kill his nephew and has sealed his fate in the eyes of God.
Shakespeare's
Hamlet pivots on the theme of mastering passionbefore it is too late. Although Claudius confronts his sins
committed in search of title and authority, he never takes the steps needed to
achieve absolution. Instead, the King
opts to use violence to solve his dilemma
which results in
both the downfall of his royal family and the turning of his
"envenomed"(144) blade upon him.
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