Claudius" life was spared, temporarily, because Hamlet did not hear this part of his prayer. Claudius, by the end of the play has caused more than half a dozen deaths, King Hamlet, Hamlet, Gertrude, Laertes, Polonius, and himself just to name the main ones. It is because of Claudius" scheming that the end of the play is so plagued by death. When you look at this side of Claudius it makes it hard to image how he could have ever been a good king, if in fact he was a good leader. It was Claudius" obsession for control and power that ruined a great kingdom. .
The question left to be answered however is this, would Hamlet have made a good king? Hamlet possessed many qualities that would have made him a suitable king. First of all, his father was the king, so he was royalty and obviously had some knowledge of what a king needed to do. Second, he was a smart individual. We see at the beginning of the play that he is just coming back from a university in Wittenberg. Throughout the play all Hamlet wants to do is go back to the university. It is because of his education that he has such a questioning attitude, which plays a huge role in the whole play. .
Being a scholar, Hamlet is prone to think rather than actions. He contemplates every action, prepares for the reaction, and also weighs the consequences. Hamlet questions things from the very beginning when he asks Horatio why he has come. Horatio answers that he has come for Hamlet's father's funeral, but Hamlet says in reply "I pray thee, do not mock me, fellow-student; I think it was to see my mother's wedding"(Act I, Scene 2). Horatio then tells us that Hamlet is correct. .
This series of events shows how Hamlet has an ability to find the truth and how he questions things to make sure they are the truth. Even though it is just a little question, not merely as important as some of the other stuff that occurs, it is a good example of what kind of person Hamlet really is.
