“The serpent that did sting thy father’

Thankfully, Hamlet did not admit that a ghost motivated him, but he did take the ghost’s advice. Hamlet does not kill Claudius right away, for that would make far too short and unintriguing story, but he brings Claudius into a type of sick game. They both become players on opposite ends of a chessboard: continuously circling around, trying to test each other as they pull complicated tricks on the other, always hoping that the other will not catch on to their plan. Hamlet’s most complicated, and only well thought out plan, is that of the “dumb-show” in which he has players reenact the murder of his father. Hamlet does get the reaction from Claudius that he desires as Claudius “watches the play with growing trepidation” (Delaney 68), and finally leaps from his chair and exits after seeing the murder he committed played out before his eyes. This proves to Hamlet that Claudius did indeed kill the elder Hamlet. This large scheme did have a negative impact though on the court’s view on Hamlet. Of course during this scene the reader pays attention to the King, but “they (the court people) have been watching Hamlet” (Goddard 368) because they had already thought him as being crazy. The courts people are under the impression that the King “interrupts the performance because he can not stand his nephew’s conduct” (Goddard 369). The King may have left because of being bothered by the content of the play, but he is wise and leaves, rather than confronting Hamlet. Hamlet’s first attempt to crack Claudius and make him confess his crime fails. The sick “game of chess” between the two men continues.

Verbally is not the only way Claudius makes people eat out of his palm, but he uses his wealth as well. With promise of some extra money and some crafty wording, Claudius is able to convince Guildenstern and Rosencrantz to betray Hamlet, their childhood friend, and bring the King information about Hamlet. They sadly become willing instruments of a corrupt king, and they do abandon their friendship with Hamlet for greed. Hamlet did not “fall off the wagon yesterday” though, he does call them on their fickleness, when he comments they “give up [themselves] in the full bent…to be commanded” (2.2.30-32).

Hamlet is not only jealous of Claudius receiving his mother’s love, but the citizens’ love as well. After Claudius gives a speech to all, it becomes apparent that the people have taken a kind liking to him, as all comments during the speech proclaim faithfulness to him as King. One can also go as far hypothesize that Hamlet had never before seen someone with such character and complexity as himself and could have felt a bit threatened. Psychologically, this would help justify why Hamlet immediately disliked Claudius. With such jealousy, it seems is obvious that Hamlet thinks Claudius should not be King, and of course, you can not have a successful Denmark without a king. If Gertrude had not married, then automatically Hamlet would have been King. Even just with hearing Claudius’s first impressive speech, the reader knows that it would be hard to find a more fitting and natural ruler. It would be silly for Hamlet to think that he would be able to replace Claudius. First of all, in the second scene of act one, Hamlet already hints at his suicidal tendencies because he is unable to handle the grief from his father’s death. Secondly, it is a well-known fact that one of Hamlet’s tragic flaws is that of his indecision, and that is not a positive quality for a leader to posses. A good leader must be able to make a wise decision quickly, and stick to it. Thirdly, Hamlet does take advice and direction from a ghost. Giving Hamlet the benefit of the doubt, it is the ghost of his father, but none the less, it is a ghost. One would think that an advisor, right hand man, or even a child would be a little more reliable. How well would it go over to the city of Denmark to say “The ghost made me to do it?” T

Some topics in this essay:
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