An Analysis on Claudius

In Hamlet, Shakespeare developed a character, an antagonist, which produces twists and turns throughout the play. Even though in the beginning of the play, Claudius seemed to be an intelligent man, who has excellent speaking skills that helped him take the leadership of his deceased brother’s kingdom, and marry his wife. But, combining both his intelligence and excellent speaking skills, shows Claudius’s true nature: an astute, lustful conspirator. Through the different settings and situations, Claudius’s character contributes to the overall understanding of the play through psychological, biblical and philosophical methods.

Claudius’s intelligent way to speak helps him throughout the play. Actually, it helps contribute to overall story. In the beginning of the play, Hamlet is seen as a man in deep depression, mourning of his beloved father death, and troubled on his mother’s marriage to his uncle, Claudius. However, it seems that his mourning is affecting Claudius plan on keeping his power of the throne. . Probably here he fears that Hamlet and the others would investigate more in his brother’s death if they would remember him more, so he wants Hamlet to move on as soon as possible. Claudius gives out a speech to Hamlet to stop mourning for his father because it is an “unmanly grief,” but convinces him that his father has gone to heaven (1.2.90-110). As Judith Hamilton mentions in his article Claudius as Perverse and Psychopathic Character, Claudius uses of the language gives him support to have his position and to control his subjects, by “persuading others to compromise their values in order to achieve their help and loyalty.”

In several thoughts on what Mr. Hamilton said on that matter, maybe Claudius made a mistake on doin...

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...rpent that did sting [Hamlet’s] father’s life/Now wears his crown” (1.5.42-46). The reference of the serpent can compare to the serpent from the Fall of Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden. Also, he somehow seduced his brother’s wife to marry him, such as the serpent seduced Eve on taking the forbidden fruit. This helps mold the interpretation of the character, which makes Claudius as the original murderer (like Cain), and the original sin of this story (the serpent), which helps contribute to the interpretation of the play.

Works Cited

Hamilton, Judith. "SOMETHING IS ROTTEN…’ In Hamlet's Denmark: Claudius as Perverse And Psychopathic Character." Psyart (2011): 3.Academic Search Complete. Web. 3 May 2014.

Lewis, Cynthia. “Biblical References in Shakespeare’s Tragedies By Naseeb Shaheen.” Shakespeare Quarterly. Vol. 40, No. 1 (1989): 3. Jstor. Web. 3 May 2014.