Shakespeares “Hamlet, Prince of Denmark” is one of the most famous plays in English playwright. According to many highly distinguished art lovers, this is one of the most profound creations of human genius, the great philosophical tragedy. Not without reason at different stages of development of human thought, people are turning to “Hamlet” seeking in it a confirmation of views on life and the world order.
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“We defy augury” – at first glance, this phrase of Hamlet, in which he says that, despite the bad feeling, he still goes to the duel with Laertes, unremarkable, but in reality, its significance is enormous. Immediately necessary noted that Claudius speaks for himself, and grand “we” thereby emphasizing his high position, royalty, Claudius: “It will be laid to us”, as described in “Hamlet; Prince of Denmark” Analysis.
The fate of Hamlet is associated with the two kings – his father and uncle, who represent the Danish world. Analysis of the Hamlet’s father character is important for understanding the changes occurring in the spiritual world of the prince. According to Shakespeare, Hamlet’s father was an ideal king. He was the hero that has drawn to images of antique surface. He remembers the Hyperion (Helios – sun god Jupiter, god of the sky and light), Mars (the god of war).
The King’s ghost was an integral part of the imperfect world, whose life was guided for many years. Claudius is also a part of the world of King Hamlet. He mirrored his brother, a twin with a minus sign. Heroes were born in one family, both strive for power, both are ready to sacrifice life for it, both dedicated love odes to the same woman. However, exactly Claudius is positioned by Shakespeare as the main evil of Danish Kingdom.
At the beginning of the tragedy, it is reported that King Claudius rules for two months. Danish world obeys to the new king without any hesitation. This flexibility can only be explained by one thing: high humanistic morality and spirituality have not vaccinated Danish court, and it is the court of King Hamlet. Here, almost no one deals with the problems of spiritual being; no one cares about the world and Universe problems. Flourishing here are blasphemy sycophancy, hypocrisy, since they can be used to take a cushy job, get some privileges. For example Polonius served to King Hamlet, and serves to King Claudius. In the monologue of King Claudius, the priorities of life are placed in such a way – the crown, the power, the queen: “… because of what the assassination did I: I have a crown, power, and the Queen”.
Claudius’ value scale is similar to the King Hamlet ideals. Claudius did not remember life as the highest value (unlike Ghost). For him, it is not obvious, and so it is easy to decide the fate of others, even of Prince Hamlet, his nephew, who can take away his crown.
Hamlet says: “King Claudius – is a murderer and a scoundrel, a slave … jester, thief of state and government, a thief stole a precious crown … king of rags and patches”. Such emotional evaluations affect no consciousness of the viewer (reader), form a relationship to the facts, to the personality of the hero. But the score, which Hamlet gives to the king, is seen as an emotional reaction to the death of his father and his mother’s marriage. This feeling is objectively proven by facts. Important additions to the characterization of a new king will find in a single monologue, a confession of Claudius, as stated in “Hamlet; Prince of Denmark” Analysis.
Claudius is acknowledging his own sinfulness, the king insane upbraids himself: “Oh, my sin is disgusting! … It most ancient curses – fratricide”. He knows the value of society and the “evil circle of the world’s sin, the court assigns a golden arm, and he often bought by the law of sin price”. He realizes that he does not remove sin of murder; the sky is not empty words or bribe with gold, as opposed to a human trial. He knows that the forgiveness of the sky can be obtained only under one condition – to give up that was produced by a crime, and that Claudius cannot do and does not want.
Concerning Hamlet his real tragedy – is that he has a man’s finest spiritual qualities- was cracked. When he saw the terrible side of life – deceit, betrayal, murder relatives, he lost faith in people, in love, in life. These things have lost their value for him. Pretending to be mad, he really is on the verge of insanity from the consciousness of how monstrous people – traitors, incestuous, for perjured persons, murderers, hypocrites and flatterers. He finds the courage to fight, but in life he could only see the sadness.
When Hamlet was convinced that the king maintains self-punishment on him, otherwise he talks about the rift between the will and action. Now he comes to the conclusion that “to think excessively about the outcome”. Hamlet is certainly irreconcilable to evil, but how to fight it, he does not know. Hamlet is not aware of his struggle as a political struggle.
It is for him primarily a moral sense:
“O, that this too solid flesh would melt,
Thaw and resolve itself into a dew!
Or that the Everlasting had not fix’d
His canon ‘gainst self-slaughter!
O God! God!
How weary, stale, flat, and unprofitable
Seem to me all the uses of this world!”
Hamlet – is a lonely fighter for justice. He fights against his enemies by his own means. Contradiction in the behavior of the hero is that to achieve the goals he has resorted to the same immoral methods, as his opponents. He pretends to be cunning, seeking to ferret out the mystery of his enemy, deceiving, and it’s not ironic – for the noble cause is responsible for the death of several persons. Claudius is guilty in the death of only one former king. Hamlet kills the (albeit unintentionally) Polonius, sends to certain death and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, kills Laertes, and finally Claudius. He is also indirectly responsible for the death of Ophelia. But in the eyes of all, he is morally pure, for pursuing the noble goals and evil that he committed, always had a response to the machinations of his opponents. Polonius is killed by the hands of Hamlet. Hence, Hamlet acts the avenger of the very thing that he makes in relation to another, as described in “Hamlet; Prince of Denmark” Analysis.
“A violet in the youth of primly nature,
Forward, not permanent, sweet, not lasting,
The perfume and suppliance of a minute”.
Analysis of the positions of characters in the tragedy, taking into account the historical basis, reveals the similarities between Hamlet and Claudius. At a certain difference between the Danish kings are alike. They prefer strength, to destroy the lives of others, and destroy their future and the future of their tribe.
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