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Hamlet - College Essay

Hamlet

In William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, King Claudius appears to be an evil king manipulates those around him to maintain his own power. However, throughout the play, we find that Claudius is neither devoid of leadership qualities nor kingship. Claudius is both clever and proactive, but he is not always ethical and moral. The play begins with the ghost of Hamlet’s father appearing and telling Hamlet about his brother’s betrayal through murder. Hamlet then begins plotting how he will kill Claudius, but first, he must prove that Claudius truly killed his father. Although Claudius refuses to truly repent his wrong doings, he does have to deal with his conscience, showing that he is not truly ...

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Claudius is able to calm Laertes down from his rage, and convince him that Hamlet is the murder, and that Laertes must kill him in a seemingly honorable way. Claudius explains how the public is too in love with Hamlet to ever accept that he was murdered, so he stages the bet, knowing that Laertes would kill Hamlet. Claudius’s evilness is also shown when he maries his late brother’s wife, becoming Hamlet’s father as well as uncle. The quote “...But now, my cousin Hamlet, and my son” (1.ii.65) shows the relation between the two men, and how they are too closely related. The most important action of Claudius’s that depicts his wickedness is when he murdered his brother. Claudius poured rat poison in Old King Hamlet’s ear when he was sleeping, which caused Old Hamlet’s untimely demise. Claudius is a wicked character who looked to promote his material comforts, and not the comforts of those closest to him.

Our first impression of Claudius is when he is addressing the people of ...

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Hamlet. (2011, March 3). Retrieved January 11, 2026, from http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Hamlet/95486

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"Hamlet." Essayworld.com. March 3, 2011. Accessed January 11, 2026. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Hamlet/95486.

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PAPER DETAILS

Added: 3/3/2011 08:48:05 PM
Submitted By: taylorloydy
Category: Shakespeare
Type: Premium Paper
Words: 913
Pages: 4

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