Hamlet – English Coursework - What incentives does Hamlet have to kill Claudius, and why do you think he does not do so immediately?

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Hamlet – English Coursework

What incentives does Hamlet have to kill Claudius, and why do you think he does not do so immediately?

Revenge his foul and most unnatural murder.’

Hamlet’s aim in the play is to revenge his father by killing the man who murdered Old Hamlet; the man in question is Claudius, the new King of Denmark. The task is complicated by the fact that this man was Hamlet’s uncle but now his father, through the marriage of his mother Gertrude. Hamlet realises his fate early in on the play when he is informed by Horatio that he has seen the ghost of Hamlet’s father, Old Hamlet. The ghost then informs Hamlet of his demise and how his own brother betrayed him, ‘The serpent that did sting thy father’s life now wears his crown’. The ghost tells Hamlet of his death and refers to Claudius as a serpent, a sly slithering creature sneaking up on people, he shows his loathing of his brother and gives an early view of Claudius as an evil man.

        

At the time revenge was commonplace and killing the King, notably the highest man in the society, would be accepted on valid grounds. Revenging the previous King wouldn’t be thought of as rash or unthinkable.

        

Hamlet is used to all the attention of his mother and now she has entered a new relationship, and with someone Hamlet hates as a person and for murdering his father, he feels unwanted as she spends all her time with Claudius as is common in a new relationship. Hamlet is sort of like a child who is used to having all the attention. In killing Claudius he believes he would gain all the attention and affections of his mother. Hamlet believes his mother would not mourn, as she did not at the death of his father. ‘A beast that wants discourse of reason would have mourn’d longer’

        Hamlet hates Claudius for taking his mother away from him. Hamlet believes he is a corrupt King and a bad person for who he is and what he did. ‘A villain kills my father’. He calls Claudius a villain obviously saying what he thinks of him, if someone murders your father it is plenty enough of an incentive to kill him or her.

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        Hamlet is depressed. He has no faith in the world or anyone around him, the court is corrupt and so are many of the people which strengthens his view that he is different to everyone around him, ‘to be honest, this world goes, is to be one an pick’d out of ten thousand.’ He says honesty is a virtue that very few posses, he feels he is the only honest man but he doesn’t think he is superior and isn’t arrogant, this makes him feel even more singled out than before and even more depressed, he would rather kill ...

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