King Claudius Essay

Claudius is the main antagonist of the play whose primary goal is to generate all of Hamlet’s rage and confusion, even though at first glance he seems like a decent if not more than decent king. He is capable and intelligent, he even gives a speech that connects everyone’s loss with a new start. Claudius takes instantaneous, decisive action when it comes to satisfying the king of Norway, and is always concentrated on his kingly duties. Although in private he is a completely different person. The Ghost introduces him as “that incestuous, that adulterate beast” (1.5.42) and we soon see that he is a murderer and the truth behind King Hamlet’s tragic death. Claudius killed his own brother, stole his wife, and placed himself in his dead brother’s throne and everyday becomes more and more obsessed with the power that he has taken. He prays to God asking for forgiveness, however, he is still living out the benefits of his sins therefore he cannot be forgiven. How can he even be truly sorry if he cannot turn away from what made …show more content…
He is a good leader of his country while his personal behavior, beliefs, and manipulative speech reveal what is behind the curtain. Everyone has bad aspects of their personality, such as greed and lust, but Claudius takes it to an entirely new level by killing his brother in order to satisfy his staggering need for power. “O villain, villain, smiling, damned villain!” (1.5.105), now of course Hamlet is going to have even more hatred for Claudius knowing not only did he seduce and manipulate his weak mother, but he also poisoned his father. What Hamlet speaks about Claudius being a villain is absolutely true, in this play Claudius plays the twisted villain and it is known by so many that there is something wrong in Denmark, they just do not know that Claudius is where the evil is spewing from. The entire fact that Claudius would kill for power and does kill is enough to prove he is an evil human