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2. Madness and mental instability prove to be a central, recurring issue throughout the play.
Some have argued that Hamlet’s eccentric behavior is simply a means deliberately employed
in order to achieve a desired end. Others have suggested that Hamlet’s madness is genuine.
Still others choose a position somewhere in the middle. Providing specific examples that
support your position, write an essay that considers the extent to which Hamlet’s madness is
feigned, genuine, or a combination of the two.
Hamlet was everyone target, all of the eyes are on him. Making it hard for him to took
a large step on the revenges plan he has. From that being a strange, odd person help other to
look at him as not such a pain. As he was an considrates person, his plan of this craft mad
was working and be able to trick other character in the story very well, even though he was
act this nonsense to everyone. Horatio will be the only witness that he had and also the only
one to believe that Hamlet was still his old self, normal as others. As in the normal society,
people were reaching out what is best for them without caring that something is don’t belong
to us. To be able to survive in this competitive society of people with the obsession of power,
sometimes the smartest way to live is just knowing when to played dumb.
4. Next to Hamlet, arguably the most complex character in the play is Claudius. Write an
essay that considers the complex and often contradictory nature of Claudius’ character. This
essay must look beyond the obvious fact that Claudius is a murderer who has usurped his
brother’s throne and married his brother’s wife. It must consider his effectiveness or
ineffectiveness as a political figure and a husband.
Claudius was written down to be the villain of the story. As he is the opposite side
of Hamlet, but if look beyond all of those things and just look at him as a king who tries his
best to make his country going forward. This political figure actually does his job very well.
As he giving his speech about his brother death “To bear our hearts in grief, and our whole
kingdom To be contracted in one brow of woe”(act I scene II). This was show one of the
characteristics that Claudius is maturity and leadership of himself. He lets people grief and
mourn but still, by the word he said that his people should move on and united as a country.
As that is what important for him as a king, to be present and moving forward, being tough.
So they can all step forward together as a whole and cannot leave the trace of being weak so
other enemies from other countries could get in. did not seem to be so strict and dictatorate,
“Take thy fair hour, Laertes. Time be thine, And thy best graces spend it at thy will.” (act I
scene II). This is when Claudius give his people the freedom to do thing things he wanted.
Claudius was just doing what other king did but didn't get much attention in the story since
the story is about revenge of the son to his uncle that he gets from his selfish father, who not
caring about the danger that came with the cause that he ask his only son to do. If we just
took a stepped back and exclude Hamlet’s perspective out of sight. Everyone seems to be
happy about the new king. Polonius, Gertrude, and other character did not a rebellion against
Claudius for being the new king either.
In the meanwhile, in case of being a good loving husband. He was giving Gertrude
what is best for her, yet taking good care of her. He also giving Gertrude enough love and
attention. As Claudius once said it himself “The Queen his mother Lives almost by his looks,
and for myself (My virtue or my plague, be it either which), She is so conjunctive to my life
and soul That, as the star moves not but in his sphere, I could not but by her.” (act IV, scene
VII). Claudius has shown how he was not a cold blood heart murderer here, as he also cares
about Gertrude feelings for a bit about how he cannot kill Hamlet yet and not by his own
hand for the sake of his wife. Also, by saying that she is conjunctive to his life, meaning at
least he is caring about her. Even though at the end of the story, He just let the ambitions of
killing hamlet overpowering the love he has for Gertrude causing all these tragedies to an
end.
There was still a debate about is Claudius action was good or bad as a king. Even
Though in the story Shakespeare did not let the readers to see much of Claudius perspective
but shown only Hamlet whos think that Claudius is the villain in the story. Making the
readers think that he was a bad guy of the story. If we step it out and only look at the “king’s
position” where he has to maintain the whole country to be forwarded. No matter what other
going to thoughts about him, he did what best he could do. By all the means, keep moving
forward not back. His ambition was strong enough that he took it first than love. As the great
achievement shall be made with a great sacrifice.