Distrustful of Hamlet and his "madness", King Claudius has Hamlet deported to England to be killed when he fears he has become a threat... Does Gerthude knows it? Ophelia's madness scene -- she moves on Claudius! Does Hamlet see his mother and Claudius on video, porno? From: "Tom Moran" Date: Wed Oct 10, 2001 5:50 pm Subject: I, Claudius on Claudius (based on the text-extrapolation to come later) Claudius is, first and foremost, a prag matist, a man who lives his life by the credo that the end justifies the means. He wanted the throne of Denmark, and he knew that King Hamlet stood in the way. So he rubbed him out. He didn't even necessarily hate or even dislike him so much as he desperately coveted his position. Claudius' logical and impersonal view of the murder is evident when he tries to console Hamlet by pointing out that, hey, his dad was going to die eventually anyway. "Your father lost a father, that father lost, lost his." These are not exactly tender words. Claudius's many kindnesses to Hamlet, however, are not an act. What he seems to desire more than anything is a return to the happy days when King Hamlet was alive, except with him usurping King Hamlet's role as both revered king and beloved husband and father. He's got two out of the three, and if only Hamlet would stop bringing everybody down and accept the situation, the world would be perfect. Hence, he is reluctant to harm Hamlet, and only resolves to kill him after it is made abundantly clear that Hamlet knows about the murder. Claudius does indeed have a conscience, but is able to crush his feelings of guilt under an enormous heap of logic until he has a revelation during his prayer scene-certainly the scene that offers the most insight into his character. He finally realizes that you can't murder your brother and sneak through the pearly gates, so from there he ups his order from a side of ambition to a super-size extra-value meal of ruthlessness. Hamlet needs to be dealt with, and what's one more murder at this point anyway? Claudius shows at least a hint of contempt for the people of Denmark. On the other hand, he exhibits some sterling leadership qualities: he is well-spoken, is a capable military commander and a skilled diplomat, and he knows how to kiss ass and influence people. Witness how he manages to channel Laertes' blind rage into his scheme to kill Hamlet-a cockamamie plot that would have led to Laertes, if anyone, being blamed. The fact is, Claudius knows what the hell he's doing. There is no question in my mind that he killed Hamlet, though there certainly room to argue that it was part of a conspiracy. The argument that Polonius was the brains behind the whole thing doesn't hold too much water, though, considering that Claudius doesn't seem easily manipulated and that one of his more clever manuevers - siccing Laertes on Hamlet - takes place after Polonius buys the farm. Claudius, methinks, was no Reagan. As for Gertrude, Claudius does love her, though it's quite possible he's just in love with her position and doesn't realize it. He believes, at any rate, that she can make him happy. It's also reasonable to suggest that their affair began while King Hamlet was still alive, though I think it was power lust, and not the other kind, that spurred on the murder. Claudius is Willy Loman in a codpiece: an expert in deception, including self-deception. Ultimately his fatal flaw is his naïve belief that he can insert himself in the spot of a beloved king, and that Hamlet, not to mention the people of Denmark, will come to love him despite themselves. Hamlet wasn't the only one suffering from problems of procrastination and resolve: as Claudius realizes too late, he should've killed Hamlet when he had the chance. Summary * Monologue Study Pages: PreActing, Biomechanics, Method, BMplus * Questions Shakespeare @ Amazon Notes Go.dot'06 R/G Files *** Complete Shake: 12trh Night Amazon: Shakespeare ...

Hamlet, Claudius

Love story. He killed his brother for her and because of her.

"Revenge should know no bounds." -- Claudius

Hamlet (about Claudius?)

... What is a man,
If his chief good and market of his time
Is but to sleep and feed? A beast, no more. -- Hamlet

From: "Tom Moran"
Date: Thu Oct 11, 2001 5:45 am
Subject: Claudius in Love

How's this for a backstory

Gertrude, 16 or so, is engaged to marry a much older, grizzled and frankly rather disinterested Hamlet in an arranged political marriage. However, while paying a formal visit to Elsinore before the ceremony she meets Claudius, about her age, and the two fall instantly in love. She, of course, still has to marry Hamlet, but afterwards she and Claudius keep at it like crazed echidnas and pretty soon she gets pregnant with his son. Claudius, knowing he needs to flee the country, like, now, pulls some strings and gets assigned to a faraway military post. However, King Hamlet never realizes that baby Hamlet isn't his, and raises him as his own. Thanks to a war wound(if ya know what I mean) King Hamlet never fathers any more children.
Claudius ends up in, I dunno, the Faeroe Islands (Denmark owns them, after all) where he functions as a high-ranking military official and tries to put Gertrude out of his mind, engaging in any number of heated love affairs but never marrying.
After more than twenty successful years, he feels Elsinore calling-he misses his country, he wants to see his son, and he figures he must be over Gertrude by now. He's not, and she isn't over him either. Claudius has heretofore accepted his fate, but decides after more han two decadesthat it's about time to defy nature and claim the place in life he believes he has been cheated out of: King Hamlet's.

King:

O, my offence is rank, it smells to heaven;
It hath the primal eldest curse upon't,--
A brother's murder!--Pray can I not,
Though inclination be as sharp as will:
My stronger guilt defeats my strong intent;
And, like a man to double business bound,
I stand in pause where I shall first begin,
And both neglect. What if this cursed hand
Were thicker than itself with brother's blood,--
Is there not rain enough in the sweet heavens
To wash it white as snow? Whereto serves mercy
But to confront the visage of offence?
And what's in prayer but this twofold force,--
To be forestalled ere we come to fall,
Or pardon'd being down? Then I'll look up;
My fault is past. But, O, what form of prayer
Can serve my turn? Forgive me my foul murder!--
That cannot be; since I am still possess'd
Of those effects for which I did the murder,--
My crown, mine own ambition, and my queen.
May one be pardon'd and retain the offence?
In the corrupted currents of this world
Offence's gilded hand may shove by justice;
And oft 'tis seen the wicked prize itself
Buys out the law; but 'tis not so above;
There is no shuffling;--there the action lies
In his true nature; and we ourselves compell'd,
Even to the teeth and forehead of our faults,
To give in evidence. What then? what rests?
Try what repentance can: what can it not?
Yet what can it when one cannot repent?
O wretched state! O bosom black as death!
O limed soul, that, struggling to be free,
Art more engag'd! Help, angels! Make assay:
Bow, stubborn knees; and, heart, with strings of steel,
Be soft as sinews of the new-born babe!
All may be well.

[Retires and kneels.]

[Enter Hamlet.]

Ham.
Now might I do it pat, now he is praying;
And now I'll do't;--and so he goes to heaven;
And so am I reveng'd.--that would be scann'd:
A villain kills my father; and for that,
I, his sole son, do this same villain send
To heaven.
O, this is hire and salary, not revenge.
He took my father grossly, full of bread;
With all his crimes broad blown, as flush as May;
And how his audit stands, who knows save heaven?
But in our circumstance and course of thought,
'Tis heavy with him: and am I, then, reveng'd,
To take him in the purging of his soul,
When he is fit and season'd for his passage?
No.
Up, sword, and know thou a more horrid hent:
When he is drunk asleep; or in his rage;
Or in the incestuous pleasure of his bed;
At gaming, swearing; or about some act
That has no relish of salvation in't;--
Then trip him, that his heels may kick at heaven;
And that his soul may be as damn'd and black
As hell, whereto it goes. My mother stays:
This physic but prolongs thy sickly days.

[Exit.]

[The King rises and advances.]

King.
My words fly up, my thoughts remain below:
Words without thoughts never to heaven go.

[Exit.]

Both monologues go at the same time ("split stage"); they don't hear each other. Cladius, Hamlet(s) -- idea for breaking your mono apart to interlock them?

Claudius' mistake that he tried to make Hamlet like him, instead of killing him.

NB

Claudius' Player -- who brings it as a testimony to the trial? Hamlet, defence?

Next: script.vtheatre.net

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