Search results
Results From The WOW.Com Content Network
The old King Hamlet was a stern warrior, but Claudius, his brother, is a corrupt politician whose main weapon is his ability to manipulate others through a skillful use of language. When it comes to international diplomacy, this influence actually works in Denmark’s favor.
King Claudius is a fictional character and the main antagonist of William Shakespeare's tragedy Hamlet. He is the brother to King Hamlet, second husband to Gertrude and uncle and later stepfather to Prince Hamlet. He obtained the throne of Denmark by murdering his brother with poison and then marrying the late king's widow.
Hamlet ’s uncle and stepfather, and the new King of Denmark. After the death of Hamlet’s father and Claudius’s brother, the former king, Claudius married his brother’s wife, Gertrude , and assumed the throne of Denmark—much to Hamlet’s chagrin and suspicion.
Claudius is a smooth-tongued, self-assured and convincing man – an experienced politician – and he slips easily into the role of king, where he takes command and presents himself as a charismatic national leader.
By comparing himself to Cain, Claudius illustrates that he understands the severity of his sin, and he expresses his sense of his own moral corruption through images of decay and putrefaction: his sin is “rank” and sends the smell of rot all the way to heaven.
Whatever the case, it is Gertrude’s speech to Claudius that cements the king’s secret plan to have Hamlet executed in England. As brief as it is, Act IV, scene i is a magnificent example of Shakespeare’s skill at developing characters, illustrated by the subtle development of Claudius.
Claudius is the antagonist of the play, guilty of murdering King Hamlet. Prince Hamlet characterizes Claudius as a drunken, lecherous, and villainous man, calling him the “bloat...
Claudius, King of Denmark. [This is an annotated list of all appearances and all mentions of this character.] "Though yet of Hamlet our dear brother's death / The memory be green" (1.2.1-2). Claudius, the new King of Denmark, justifies his quick marriage to the widowed Queen.
While his qualities are not as thoroughly explored as Hamlet's, Shakespeare crafts a whole human being out of the treacherous, usurping King of Denmark. When we first see Claudius, he strikes us an intelligent and capable ruler.
Claudius is the primary antagonist of the play “Hamlet”. This Claudius character analysis will give you a detailed study on his role and contribution to the plot. Check the complete character list of Hamlet so that you get a thorough understanding of all characters in the play.