Explore Shakespeare's presentation of Claudius. Does he have any redeeming qualities, or is he merely a "damned, smiling villain"?

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Explore Shakespeare’s presentation of Claudius. Does he have any redeeming qualities, or is he merely a “damned, smiling villain”?

        Claudius is not presented as a typical villain. As always, Shakespeare’s characters are complex with many facets to their personality. Claudius is not a conventional villain as he has redeeming qualities, which make it impossible to categorise him as merely a “damned, smiling villain”. However, he certainly has been condemned to hell according to a Jacobean audience as he has potentially broken three of the Ten Commandments: “thou shalt not covet”, “thou shalt not kill” and “thou shalt not commit adultery”. By breaking the divine law, he is definitely “damned” and corrupt from the start, as he has killed his own brother for his crown and wife. It is shocking he committed such deeds, as the threat of hell and eternal damnation was more sharply felt in the Jacobean era, than it is today. This shows extreme greed, lust for power, and no concern for others, which are typical qualities of villains. However, what sets him apart from archetypal villains is that he has a conscience. Most villains are lacking in this and this makes Claudius a man of contradictions. In my essay I will investigate the complexities of Claudius’s character and look at how Shakespeare has presented him to prove he is more than a “damned, smiling villain”. Shakespeare presents the image of Claudius being a “damned, smiling villain” through Hamlet. As Hamlet may be mad, we cannot be sure whether his judgement can be trusted. A madman’s view may not be credible, and Shakespeare always leaves an element of doubt over all his characters. We do not know if Hamlet really is mad, and therefore his view of Claudius is biased and unreliable. This essay will consider how Claudius is presented by Shakespeare and analyse his actions to form an opinion of whether or not he is a “damned, smiling villain”.

        Claudius is not morally upright, as is immediately evident from Act I: Scene II “our sometime sister, now our queen”. A Jacobean audience would consider marrying your brother’s wife as incest. He shows lack of consideration and apparent indifference to his brother’s death by marrying her with “Oh most wicked speed, to post with such dexterity to incestuous sheets.” By using the word “Oh”, Hamlet is appealing to the divine and imploring to the audience. This reminds us of the religious implications of Claudius’s actions and proves that he is indeed damned.

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        Claudius proves to have quite a selfish and predatory nature, “wisest sorrow think on him, together with remembrance of ourselves.” At a time like this, he encourages his nation to think of themselves. Another example of his selfishness is at the end of the play in Act VI: Scene II. He doesn’t do very much to prevent Gertrude from drinking the poisoned glass of wine, as he cannot admit his crime to save her life. This is extremely inconsiderate and selfish. He is supposedly in love with her, but he loves himself more. He shares qualities with the Devil, as ...

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There is a good understanding of the character of Claudius and the points on his inability to repent are good. The essay could have covered Claudius' treatment of Hamlet in more detail and how this can be related to his position as a villain. 4 Stars