Hamlet Questions Describe Claudius. Is he purely evil, or is he merely a flawed
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Hamlet Questions
Describe Claudius. Is he purely evil, or is he merely a flawed human being? Could play also be called "The Tragedy of Claudius, King of Denmark"? Characterize Horatio. Why does Hamlet's trust and admire him? How is he different from Rosencrantz and Guildenstern? Are these characters round or flat? How can one justify Hamlet's arrangement for the deaths of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern? Hamlet is full of conflicts that oppose people to other people, to society, and to themselves. List all the conflicts you can find in the play. Decide which of these is the central conflict, and explain your choice. What is the crisis of Hamlet? When does it occur? Whom does it affect? What is the catastrophe? The resolution? In Act 4, Claudius notes that "sorrows come ... m battalions." By the end of the play these sorrows include the deaths of all the major characters except Horatio To what degree can Claudius be held responsible for all the sorrows of the play? Which sorrows may be particularly traced to Hamlet?Explanation / Answer
1.
Horatio was much more than a friend - he was a role model. "Horatio, or I do forget myself."
Rosencrantz & Guildenstern were much less than friends - they were Hamlet's jailers (or gaolers) in the prison of Denmark.
Horatio was the voice of reason. Rosencrantz & Guildenstern were jangling echoes of the voice of Denmark.
Horatio had no dreams of ambition in his philosophy.
Rosencrantz & Guildenstern interpreted the ambition in Hamlet's bad dreams.
Horatio gave Hamlet his mind. Rosencrantz & Guildenstern gave Hamlet their heads.
Rosencrantz & Guildenstern were Hamlet's understudies in what Hamlet transformed into their last act.
Horatio carried on after the last act ended to bring Hamlet's story to the unknowing world.
Hamlet guided Rosencrantz & Guildenstern on the road to their own self-slaughter.
Hamlet prevented Horatio from drinking deeply from the cup of self-slaughter.
Horatio's real foil was the Ghost of Hamlet's father and Claudius and Fortinbras. Rational thought vs bloody thoughts.
2.
Horatio may be a minor role in the great Shakespeare play “Hamlet”; however he is role of great importance to not only the readers of this play but also to the good Prince Hamlet of who Horatio was his closest and dearest friend and confident. Horatio serves two main purposes in this tragedy first as the steadfast friend of the prince and second as the teller of Hamlets life story.
True and faithful, Horatio is the ideal image of friend. Always willing to help and be of service to Hamlet the Prince. They studied together at the University of Wittenburg and were good scholars as well as good friends. Horatio is in truth the man Hamlet would like to be. He is smart and good, but is not driven to any extreme or rash actions because of his intellectual mind. Horatio is willing to trust people and accept the world as it comes to him but is also willing to look for truth and risk his life for those he loves. Hamlet admires and praises Horatio for the qualities he so firmly possesses, that he lacks, such as virtue of truth and self control: “Horatio, thou art e’en as just a man….as e’ver my conversation cop’d withal.” Horatio is a strong character who is unwavering in his friendship and ideals, and Hamlet often longs for the peace of mind he seems to think Horatio possesses.
3. The play contains conflict on all levels. There is the conflict between Norway and Denmark. The fiery young Fortinbras wishes to reclaim lands lost by his dead king and father.
There is conflict between every member of the Danish royal family. Here are some examples of these conflicts.
On a social level, there is conflict between power and corruption and between royal excess and State security.
Just as every member of court conflicts with another, so too does each person conflict with himself or herself. Here are some examples:
4.
Both Sparknotes and shmoop.com have very good explanations of this play, but I'd imagine the crisis occurs when Claudius leaves the room during the Gonzago play. Hamlet is then sure he's guilty and Claudius knows it. It's all downhill from there.
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