Comparing Claudius's Confession And Hamlet By William Shakespeare

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. It may seem unusual from a traditional perspective, but the result of Hamlet’s revenge is that he fulfills all of his desires from the start of the play, and completes his arc as a character. Of course, the reason that’s unusual to say is that the result of Hamlet’s revenge is the death of his uncle, his mother and himself. However, from his first soliloquy Hamlet outlines his true sentiments. The first his eagerness to die, but hesitation as a result of Christian beliefs.
O, that this too too solid flesh would . Thaw and resolve itself into a dew! …show more content…

Through Claudius’s confession and Hamlet’s hesitation Shakespeare strengthens how the contrast between the two opposing characters. As Claudius, a foil to Hamlet, is made to contrast him in his disposition and spirituality. Beginning with his disposition, the difference between Claudius and Hamlet is made clear when provided with the context of the play. Over its course Hamlet, before the violence-heavy duel, kills three people Polonius, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. He feels no remorse for this “They are not near my conscience; their defeat/Does by their own insinuation grow:” (5.2.58-9) In contrast Claudius’s speech reflects on how he is unable to move past his murder of his brother, he is full of remorse “What if this cursèd hand/Were thicker than itself with brother’s blood?” (3.3.43-4) There’s a clear difference in the morality of the characters that is being illustrated. Furthermore, Shakespeare also expands on this contrast through the differing approaches Hamlet and Claudius have towards spirituality. Claudius through his speech seems to be certain of what awaits after death “But ’tis not so above./There is no shuffling. There the action lies/In his true nature, and we ourselves compelled,”(3.3.60-2) Yet is unable to reach a higher power “My words fly up, my thoughts remain below./Words without thoughts never to heaven go.” (3.3.96-7) In contrast Hamlet is uncertain “The undiscover'd country from whose bourn/No traveller returns” (3.1.79-80) and is sought out by a higher power in the ghost of his father “My father, in his habit as he lived!/Look, where he goes, even now, out at the portal!” (3.4.135-6) Moreover this also brings me to Hamlet’s hesitation as, it is wasted here by Claudius’s inability to reach a higher power. Hamlet’s reasoning is that he does not wish to send Claudius to heaven as he is confessing, “To take him in the purging of his soul/When he is fit and seasoned for his passage?/No.” (3.3.85-7) But as Claudius is not able to reach

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