Claudius: A Villain or Victim of His Actions?
Of all the characters in Shakespeare's Hamlet the role of Claudius seems to be the most intriguing and crucial role in this tragedy. Claudius is the most controversial, the most mysterious and the most talked about character in this play. Many people look at Claudius and only see a villain, but there are additional sides to him that are often overlooked: Claudius as a father, a husband, a ruler and as a mortal individual. In this play the characters are not super-human they make mistakes just like any existing person, Claudius isn't an exception whatsoever, but his mistakes only make him look more human.Claudius, as a father is very recognizable in Scene 2 of Act 1. He states to Hamlet, starting at Line 108 "...think of us as of a father: for let the world take note, you are the most immediate to our throne, and with no less nobility of love that that which dearest father bears his son do I impart toward you." Hamlet is "Our chiefest courtier, cousin and our son." (Line 118) Here Claudius is speaking to Hamlet and saying that he is loved and accepted even since he is not Claudius' biological son. Claudius seems to have no trouble speaking to his son Hamlet in front of a crowd. However when the two are alone, Claudius is at a los
He did not want to be blamed for tainting the Queen's bed and for destroying the mighty kingdom. For these two men are in fact murderers, conspirators and liars, but they also are passionate men. Along the same lines, Claudius is also a great and sovereign ruler. This control obsession led to the deaths of two Kings, two sons, two fathers, two husbands, a stepfather, a wife, a mother, a daughter and two ambassadors (nine in total. Claudius, despite being the alleged "bad guy", has many similar qualities in which Hamlet the "tragic hero" possesses. He has emotions, he makes mistakes and he goes through trials. His strength to get through all of the circumstances in this play is tremendous; but in the end, Claudius was the cause of nine deaths, including his own. It could be that the King feels so guilty about murdering King Hamlet that he is unable to speak to Hamlet in private, because of the fear of his true nature emerging from the depths of his heart. His obsession for control and power ruined one of the greatest kingdoms in history!. Claudius states in Act 3 , Scene 3, Lines 68-70 "O wretched state! O bosom black as death; O limed soul, that struggling to be free art more engag'd. Hamlet gets what he wants in avenging his father's "cruel and unnatural murder. " Claudius also carries out his plans for murder, but both plots turn out differently than one would expect. As compared to other characters in HAMLET Claudius does not go through any drastic changes during the play.
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