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Hamlet

In the play, Hamlet is clearly the good and loyal son, faithful to the memory of his father, while Claudius is an evil murderer of his own kin. Interestingly, the size of the final death toll can be mainly blamed on Hamlet’s actions or rather his lack of action. After learning from his father’s ghost about the circumstances of his father’s murder “by a brother’s hand Of life, of crown, of queen at once dispatched” (I.v. 75), Hamlet struggles with his conscience about actually killing his uncle. At the same time, Hamlet feels guilty that he is not avenging his father’s death and calls himself a coward. He wants further evidence of Claudius’ guilt before actually killing him, so he arranges a performance that resembles his father’s murder to check on Claudius’ reaction, “The play’s the thing Wherein I’ll catch the conscience of the King” (III.i.559-560). Unfortunately, Hamlet’s crisis of conscience gives Claudius time to become suspicious. The time delay caused by Hamlet’s indecision allows Claudius to take precautions that eventually result in more deaths than are necessary to avenge the murder of King Hamlet.

The first death that occurs in the play is by Hamlet’s hand. Polonius hides in Q

The last four deaths all occur in Act 5, scene 2 and are all caused by poison. Claudius supplies the poison, but the weapon Claudius really uses is Laertes’ desire for revenge against Hamlet. Hamlet’s killing of Laertes’ father and the resulting tragic death of his sister have caused Laertes to hate Hamlet. Laertes tells Claudius that he wants to destroy Hamlet, “I will be ruled, The rather if you could devise it so That I might be the organ.” (IV.vii.67-69). Hamlet is not suspicious of a fencing match with Laertes. Laertes’ sword has a poison tip, so when he strikes Hamlet with it Hamlet will surely die. However, Claudius also has a cup filled with poison for Hamlet to drink just in case the sword doesn’t get him. Hamlet is indeed struck by Laertes with the sword, but, not knowing the sword tip is poisoned, Hamlet wrestles the sword from Laertes and strikes back at him with it. Meanwhile, the Queen inadvertently drinks from the poisoned cup. So now Queen Gertrude and Laertes die from poison intended for Hamlet. When Hamlet learns he is poisoned, he kills the King, both with the poisoned sword and the poisoned cup. Hamlet finally avenges his father’s death, but along the way many others have died who were not part of the original murder of King Hamlet.