InterpretingtheKinginHamletShakespeare^tragedyHamletpresentsinthecharacterofKingClaudiusanintelligent,cunning,andseeminglyunselfishruler.Thisessaywillpresentacritic-supported,detailedconsiderationoftheverycapableandcunningKingClaudius.Fortheentiretyofthedramaalife-or-deathmentalcontestensuesbetweenClaudiusandtheprotagonist.JohnMasefielddiscussesthismindbattlein“Hamlet,PrinceofDenmark”:TheKingisprobingHamletsmindwithgrosshumanprobes,tofindoutifheismad.HamletissearchingtheKing'smindwiththefinestofintellectualprobes,tofindoutifheisguilty.Theprobeusedbyhim,thefragmentofaplaywithinaplay,istheworkofamanwithaknowledgeoftheimpotenceofintellect-HOurwillsandfatesdosocontraryrunThatourdevicesstillareoverthrown11-andafaithintheomnipotenceofintellect-HOurthoughtsareours,theirendsnoneofourown.11(n.pag.)SalvadordeMadariagain"RosencrantzandGuildensterrTdiscussesClaudius,relationshipwiththetwoemissariesandformerfriendsofHamlet,whowereescortingtheprincetohisexecutioninEngland:ThetwoyoungmenreceivefromtheKingacommissionwhich,whatevertheKing'ssecretintentionsmaybe,ishonorable.Hamlet,theKinginfacttellsthem,isnotwhathewas.ThecauseofthechangeHlcannotdreamof.”Therefore,IbegyousobyyourcompaniesTodrawhimontopleasures,andtogather
SomuchasfromoccasionyoumaygleanWhetheraughttousunknownafflictshimthusThatopenedlieswithinourremedy(n.pag.)・LikeeveryoneelseinthekingdomofDenmark,RosencrantzandGuildensternaredeceivedbytheking-anditcoststhemtheirlives.JustwhatsortofcharacterdowefindinthepersonofClaudius?Doesthefollowingcriticmisinterprethim?G.WilsonKnightin"TheEmbassyofDeath”interpretshim:Claudius,asheappearsintheplay,isnotacriminal.Heis-strangeasitmayseem・agoodandgentleking,enmeshedbythechainofcausalitylinkinghimwithhiscrime.Andthischainhemight,perhaps,havebrokenexceptforHamlet,andallwouldhavebeenwell.(n.pag.)ThedramaopensafterHamlethasjustreturnedfromWittenberg,England,uponhearingthenewsofhisfather'sdeath.PhilipBurtonin“Hamlet”discussesClaudius1suddenrisetotheDanishthroneuponthedeathofKingHamletI:Astrongnewkingwasimmediatelyneeded;theelectionofClaudius,particularlyintheabsenceofHamlet,wasinevitable.Whatismore,itwasimmediatelyjustified,becauseClaudiusmanagestodispelthethreatofinvasionbyappealingtotheKingofNorwaytocurbhisnephew,Fortinbras;theambitiousyoungsoldierwasthemorereadytocanceltheprojectedinvasionbecausetheobjectofhisrevenge,Hamlefsfather,wasnowdead,andinreturnhereceivedfreepassagethroughDenmarktofightagainstPoland.(nopag.)Hamlethasalsolearnedthedisturbingnewsofthenewking's“o'erhastymarriage"toHamletI'swifelessthantwomonth'safterthefuneral.ItwouldseeminitiallythatGertrude,ratherthanClaudius,istoblamefortheprotagonisfs“violentemotions”(Smith80);thusinhisfirstsoliloquyHamletcriesout,Trailty,thynameiswoman!^^Claudius1firstappearaneeisatacourtgatheringwhereheverydishonestlylamentsthedeathofhisbrother:ThoughyetofHamletourdearbrother'sdeath
Thememorybegreen,andthatitusbefittedTobearourheartsingriefandourwholekingdomTobecontractedinonebrowofwoe,YetsofarhathdiscretionfoughtwithnatureThatwewithwisestsorrowthinkonhim,Togetherwithremembraneeofourselves.(1.2)Claudiushandlestheaffairsofstateveryconfidently,regardingNorwayandFortinbras;andpersonalmatterswithfamilialconcern,likeLaertes*returntostudiesinFranceandHamletsdejection:“Howisitthatthecloudsstillhangonyou?”Thekingisa“capablerulerandaresourcefulmann(Boklund120).Claudiussharesthedecision-makingwithGertrude,and“perilshisverysoulforhern(Faucit11).ClaudiussupportsherwishthatHamletremainatElsinoreratherthanreturntohisstudies:GLetnotthymotherloseherprayers,Hamlet,/Ipraytheestaywithus,gonottoWittenberg.”Coleridgestatesregardingthisseene:Intheking'sspeech,observethesetandpedanticallyantitheticformofthesentenceswhentouchingthatwhichgalledtheheelsofconscienee厂thestrainofundignifiedrhetoric,-andyetinwhatfollowsconcerningthepublicweal,acertainappropriatemajesty.Indeedwashenotaroyalbrother?(351)TheghostinformsHamletthatGertrudewasseducedby“thatincestuous,thatadulteratebeast,/Withwitchcraftofhiswit,withtraitorousgifts”priortohisbrother'spassing.“Solust,thoughtoaradiantangellink'd,/Willsateitselfinacelestialbed,/Andpreyongarbage.nThusClaudiusisaverydishonorabletypewhohasstolenthethroneandhisbrother'swife.ThisrevelationshowsClaudius,complextemperamentandmotivationandrendershimmuchmoreroundedinthedramatistsdevelopmentofhim(Abrams33).Hamletchoosestousean“anticdisposition”todisguisehisactionsashemaneuverstokilltheonewhopoisonedhisfatherinthegarden,thusexemplifyingdouble-plotting.AfterHamletentersOphelia'sroom“withhisdoubletallunbraced,Metc.,Polonius,theLordChamberlain,involvesthekingwith“Hamlet'slunacy.”ButClaudiushasalreadydispatchedRosencrantzandGuildensterntouncoverthecauseoftheprotagonisfs“transformation.”Polonius'readingofalove-letterfromHamlettoOpheliacausesClaudiusandPoloniustosecretlyobserveaplannedrendezvousbetweentheyounglovers.TohisgirlfriendHamletreveals,somewhatcryptically,hisintentiontoexecutethekingwiththesewords:”Thosethataremarriedalready,allbutone,shalllive."Fromthis“chanee”meetingClaudiusisconvinced
thatHamlefsproblemsarenotrelatedtohisloveforOphelia.Love!Hisaffectionsdonotthatwaytend;Norwhathespake,thoughitlackedformalittle,Wasnotlikemadness.There'ssomethinginhissoulO'erwhichhismelancholysitsonbrood,AndIdodoubtthehatchandthediscloseWillbesomedanger[...].(3.1)SoonatroupeofactorsarrivesatElsinore:u[...]justastheirpatronshaveprovedfickleintheirloyalty,soClaudiushasdispossessedKingHamlet,andthepeoplehaveprovedlikewisefickle”(Burton).ThecomingoftheplayershasinspiredHamletwithaschemetotestClaudius,guilt.Duringthepresentationof“TheMurtherofGonzago,”renamed“TheMousetrap,ntheplayersenactthecrimewhichClaudiuscommittedonKingHamletI.Finally,thekingpanicsandyells,“Givemesomelight.Away!”andtheplayends.BothHoratioandHamlethaveobservedClaudius,guiltyreactiontotheupoisoninginthegarden”seene.Claudius,reflectingonhisguiltintheprivacyofhisroom,laments:O,myoffenceisrankitsmellstoheaven;Ithaththeprimaleldestcurseupon't,Abrother'smurder.PraycanInot,Thoughinclinationbeassharpaswill:Mystrongerguiltdefeatsmystrongintent;And,likeamantodoublebusinessbound,IstandinpausewhereIshallfirstbegin,Andbothneglect.・・・But,O,whatformofprayerCanservemyturn?'Forgivememyfoulmurder1?Thatcannotbe;sinceIamstillpossess'dOfthoseeffectsforwhichIdidthemurder,Mycrown,mineownambitionandmyqueen.
Mayonebepardon'dandretaintheoffence?(3.3)Claudiuskneelsinanunsuccessfulefforttopray,atwhichtimeHamlet,enroutetohismother'sroom,passestonoticeClaudiusinavulnerablepositionphysicallybutnotspiritually.MaynardMackin“TheWorldofHamlet”asks:“Willarevengethattakeshiminthepurgingofhissoulbevengeanee,orhireandsalary”(117-18)?AndHamlet,desiringthattheking'ssoulgotohellandnotheavenwhenheiskilled,optsforatimewhenthekingisinalessprayerfulposture.AsHamlettalksemotionallywithhismother,GertrudeinhernervousnesspromptsPoloniustorevealhispresencebehindthearras,motivatingHamlet,whothinksitistheking,tokillhimwithhisrapier.ClaudiusisnotextremelyalarmedabouttheincidentsinceGertrudedoesnotsharewithhimHamletsfeelingthathewaskillingthekingbehindthecurtain.Nevertheless,theincidenthardensClaudiusinhisresolvetogettheprotagonistawayfromElsinore:Hislibertyisfullofthreatstoall,Toyouyourself,tous,toeveryone.Alas,howshallthisbloodydeedbeanswered?Itwillbelaidtous,whoseprovideneeShouldhavekeptshort,restrained,andoutofhauntThismadyoungman.Butsomuchwasourlove,Wewouldnotunderstandwhatwasmostfit.(4.1)ThefinaltwoversesrevealthedeepintelligenceofClaudius,andhisdeceptionandcunningsinceheplanstohaveHamletkilledonceheisescortedtoEnglandbyRosencrantzandGuildenstern.Claudius5preteneeofloveandcareiscontinuedinhisstatementtotheprince:Hamlet,thisdeed,forthineespecialsafety,-Whichwedotender,aswedearlygrieveForthatwhichthouhastdone,-mustsendtheehenceWithfieryquickness:thereforepreparethyself;
Thebarkisready,andthewindathelp,Theassociatestend,andeverythingisbentForEngland.(4.3)HamletthusleavesforEngland,butapirateshipcaptureshimandreturnshimtoDenmark.Claudius,uponreceivingHamletslettertellingofhisimminentreturntoElsinore,schemesthedeathoftheprotagonistwiththehelpofLaertes.AfterOphelia'sburial,HamletischallengedtoarapiercontestwithLaertes,whosefoilhasbeensecretlypoisonedbyClaudiusandLaertes;likewiseHamlefsdrinkhasbeenpoisoned・Attheclimaxofthetragedy,thequeendrinksaccidentallyfromHamlefspoisonedcup,andbothLaertesandHamletarewoundedbythepoisonedrapier.Laertesconfessestheking'srole:TheKing,theKing'stoblame.Heisjustlyserved.Itisapoisontemperedbyhimself.Exchangeforgivenesswithme,nobleHamlet.Mineandmyfather'sdeathcomenotuponthee,Northineonme.(5.2)HamletthenrunsClaudiusthroughwithhisfoil一finallyfulfillingtheghostsrequest.Claudius,finalwordsareanappealonhisownbehalf:“O,yetdefendme,friends;Iambuthurt”；buthiswordsarequicklybeliedbyhisdeath.WORKSCITEDAbrams,M.H・AGlossaryofLiteraryTerms.7thed.NewYork:HarcourtBraceCollegePublishers,1999.Boklund,Gunnar.“Hamlet.”EssaysonShakespeare.Ed.GeraldChapman.Princeton,NJ:PrincetonUniversityPress,1965.
Burton,Philip.“Hamlet.”TheSoleVoice.NewYork:TheDialPress,1970.N.pag.http://www.freehomepages.com/hamlet/other/burton-hamlet.htmColeridge,SamuelTaylor.LecturesandNotesonShakspereandOtherEnglishPoets.London:GeorgeBellandSons,1904.p.342-368.http://ds.dial.pipex.com/thomasjarque/ham1-col.htmFaucit,Helena(LadyMartin).OnSomeofShakespeare'sFemaleCharacters.6thed.London:WilliamBlackwoodandSons,1899.Knight,GWilson.HTheEmbassyofDeath.11TheWheelofFire.London:MethuenandCo.,Ltd.,1954.p.38-39.http://server1.hypermart.net/hamlet/wheefire.htmlN.pag.Mack,Maynard.4
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