In the novel, Hamlet, by William Shakespeare, Hamlet, prince of Denmark, is at school in Wittenberg, Germany, when his father, King Hamlet, dies. He comes home to Elsinore Castle to find his mother, Queen Gertrude, married to his uncle Claudius, the late king's younger brother. Claudius has had himself crowned king. Moreover, soldiers guarding Elsinore report to Hamlet through his friend Horatio that his father's ghost has been seen on the battlements. Hamlet goes with them to see the ghost, which speaks to him, saying that Claudius has murdered the king by pouring poison in his ear and that he, Hamlet, must avenge his father's murder. Hamlet swears to do this, but his philosophic mind is deeply upset at the shock of his uncle's treachery. In order to determine if Claudius is truly guilty, Hamlet produces a play in which the plot is parallel to King Hamlet's murder. Hamlet asks his good friend, Horatio to watch Claudius's reaction to the play, and to determine whether Claudius is guilty or not.
             However, Horatio is not the good friend he seems, and is much shrewder than he appears to be. Like Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, Horatio is merely Hamlet's friend for selfish purposes. Horatio only acts for himself alone. Even from the beginning, Horatio assists Claudius in the murder of King Hamlet, in order to gain Claudius's favor. This is why Horatio is present for King Hamlet's funeral and Gertrude's marriage. He is not there because he cares for Hamlet, rather because he is already in Denmark for the murder.
             After the play, Horatio learns of Hamlet's plan for vengeance against Claudius, which deepens his motives further. It is then that Horatio decides to somehow get rid of Claudius and Hamlet so as to take the crown for himself. Being a master manipulator, Horatio gains the full trust of Claudius and Haml
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