Hamlet Notes #2

Claudius is a strange character in Hamlet. At first look he seems evil but upon further reading it seems he is a victim of his own actions. While murder is most definitely inexcusable Claudius felt remorse for his actions. Claudius, though feeling sorry for himself, does not want to confess his actions. He would rather weave a web of lies and death then being killed himself. So we are left with a hypocritical dichotomy. Obviously Claudius trapped himself and continued to dig himself into a deeper hole as may would in his situation. His death is tragic in the sense that he never got a chance to repent for his actions. The play leaves us with little rectification.

Poisoned Sword--Laertes Auto-Biography

As I lay here dying, come close; I must recount my past to you so you might learn from my errors. Born into the court I quickly observed the fickleness of my peers. One has no true friends within the royal household. Children that I played with one day might not on the following morrow. This deceit caused me to become very suspicious of people. I hated it, the more I observed it the more I wanted to change it. I began to be able to make friends quickly and I could leave them just a quickly. Little did I know at the time, it pleased my father.

My father had plans for me to be a spy in France. At the age of seven I was taught language and writing. I recall spending long hours practicing penmanship and the art of prose. At eight I was practicing the sword. Endless hours of being drilled in form, protocol, techniques and tactics. By the age of twelve I was known as one of the most talented fencers in the court. It was said I could have been the best but my temper would always stand in the way. I was too impulsive.

Ophelia was my anchor. When ever I flew into a fit of rage or became too irrational she was there to ground me. I worried for her. Ever since she was born the whole court knew she was destined to marry Hamlet. Hamlet seemed to have little interest in her. Often he would try to court her but his heart was elsewhere. One could say he was thinking only of the state and I both hated and pitied him for it.

At nineteen my father sent me on my first trip to France. I was to act as a liaison to the court of Denmark. The similarities between the nations were uncanny. The same backstabbing tactics where employed there as well. I was trained from the beginning of my life for this. Early on I befriended both the royalty and the servants knowing what the members of the court wouldn’t tell me the servants might.

During my stay in France I was accused of spying by a lord and so protect my honor and retain my cover I challenged him to a dual. The match was meant only to be until one of us was injured but I killed him savagely. The murder caused quite an uproar amongst the royalty but for political reasons no one could touch me. I was asked to return home until further notice. In secret, some nobles expressed their solidarity with me and wished me a safe return.

Upon my return, I found that the King had been killed and his brother Claudius was sitting in his place. The details of the Kings death were unclear but it seemed he had died in his sleep. I had suspicions otherwise but the matters did not really concern me. Hamlet seemed distraught, my usual distaste was replaced with compassion. I knew that if anything should happen to my sister or father I would be heart broken. But still, his behavior was concerning.

I retuned to France the following month. During my travel home it had been found that the man who accused me of spying had himself been spying too, for England. Before I left for France I felt it important to warn my sister of Hamlets advances. She was naive to his real reasons but I believed that I had got through to her. As I was leaving my father warned me to behave, I assume he didn't want a repeat of before.

Upon my arrival in France one of the family servants died so I decided to return. I heard of my fathers death. The report, unclear, lead me to believe that Claudius was responsible. I bought poison and left. While on the boat I planned. I decided I would try to rally a mob and confront him, and if he was truly the murderer then I would slay him. If I was unsuccessful in gathering a group of people I would poison him, secretly.

When I arrived in Denmark I hired a mob to challenge Claudius. We stormed the castle and confronted Claudius. Ophelia convinced me to hear out his story. He told me of Hamlets treachery and we conspired to make him pay. Soon there after Ophelia died; they say it was an accident but I think Hamlet had drove her mad.

The madness. The refused to give Ophelia a Christian burial. I jumped into the grave and rightfully declared that if they would not give her the proper respect, then they should bury me with her. Hamlet jumped in after me. The nerve, thinking he had any right to my sister, I nearly killed him then and there.

Claudius arranged the fencing match between Hamlet and I. While we were supposed to be using bated foils, mine was sharpened and poisoned. Before the duel commenced Hamlet tried to apologize for his wrongdoings but the only apology I would accept would be of blood. I told him I forgave him and proceeded with the ploy. We fought.

Hamlet won the first and second strike, the third was mine. The poisoned sword hit Hamlet and drew blood. The attack surprised him and we both dropped our swords. Hamlet then grabbed my foil and struck me with it too. A fitting end for fools, we had been used by Claudius. The queen who had just made a toast earlier with Hamlets goblet cried foul. She had been poisoned as well. I quickly recounted the treachery and Hamlet ordered the doors to be locked. He stabbed the king with the poisoned blade and poured the remaining tainted wine down his throat. Vengeance has been had.

Hamlet, forgive me. I thought you an wayward boy with bad intentions. You and I are the same. Forgive me Hamlet, forgive me Ophelia.

Why a ghost?

Why should Shakespeare need a ghost to set the play in motion? Wouldn't it just be simpler to have a close friend tell Hamlet that he knows for a fact that his father was murdered and who the killer is? Is it not more realistic?

Often realism enhances drama and suspense. I believe, while its seemingly unnecessary, it actually plays a greater part in the play. By having a supernatural occurrence interest is added as well as skepticism. The doubt lies both on the part of the viewers and the players. Hamlet struggles with the idea that perhaps the spirit he saw wasn't real, or that it was an apparition sent by the devil. The fact that it spoke only to Hamlet and in private further solidifies that skepticism. It does this by not having anyone else who's able to confirm his findings. Conversely, a person could easily be found again, but to summon a spirit would be more difficult.