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Hamlet and Claudius
Introduction
William Shakespeareės Hamlet offers a vast amount of material for studies and analyses of the different shades of human character and psychological motives. The artistic device of confrontation is one very well and extensively used by Shakespeare in Hamlet.
The two main male characters in the play, Prince Hamlet and his uncle Claudius, are very different to each other. ... The way Claudius thinks and feels causes reactions in Hamlet, makes him react and vice versa. ...
In the following I will try to make a brief analysis of some major characteristics of Hamlet and his uncle and to view some of the differences that struck my attention the most.
The two men at the beginning of the play
Ophelia once gives a description of Hamlet before the tragic events occur and characterises him as a model courtier, soldier and scholar, The glass of fashion and the mould of form, / Thė observed of all observers. ...
Hamlet seems to be a very handsome and vigorous young man, as the beautiful Ophelia is very much in love with him.
Claudius is at the beginning a man who has achieved his heartės desire and is fully confident of his ability to preserve his position. Not much is known to the reader of Claudiusė life as the mere brother of the king, but some points can easily be deducted. Claudius is certainly well educated as regards to politics as he averts the threat of a war with Norway at the beginning of his reign, but heės not as well-read as his nephew. Apparently Claudius is a quite attractive man, otherwise he could never have won Gertrudeės devotion and affection so easily after (or even during) her first husbandės life.
Obsession and desires - passion and passivity
Hamlet is in his very nature a rather passionate and active character, as shown in his intense emotions and the courageous desire to meet the ghost alone. ... Since his fatherės ghost gave him the commandment to revenge his murder and restore justice Hamlet is obsessed by this order: And thy commandment all alone shall live, / Within the book and volume of my brain, / Unmixed with baser matters Throughout the play the aim of fulfilling this task drives everything Hamlet does, although he more and more loses control. ... Hamlet is also driven by an obsessed preoccupation with his motherės sexual life. ... Itės rather his motherės deed than Claudiusė murder of his father that seems to upset Hamlet most. ... Tillyard goes even as far as saying: My impression is that Hamlet forces himself in his dealings with Claudius, lashing himself to hysteria but not acting with his whole heart, while he puts his whole self into his words to his mother. ... Hamletės desire for revenge and his actually honourable zeal for justice are thus mislead and changed in the course of the play. Interestingly enough Hamlet never mentions his uncleės cheating him of the throne. As a matter of fact, Hamletės intentions and plans are never driven by pursue of power.
Claudius on the other hand is very different and the complete opposite in his desires. First of all, Claudius wants peace and security in his unrighteously achieved position as king and husband of his dearly beloved Gertrude: He is a man in love with his life, pleasure and especially power and he only wishes to be able to enjoy them and to use them well. ... So the first part of the play, before he realizes Hamletės discovery, he is seeking peace and sincere reconciliation with his nephew.
Approximate Word count = 3000
Approximate Pages = 12
(250 words per page double spaced)
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