Incestuous Beast

VanesaJosephineJenavieve period 1

Claudius

First Appearance King Claudius first appears in Act 1 scene 2. Claudius appears when he is making his speech

about the King’s death. Claudius appears to be kind and wise when he says “Though yet of Hamlet our dear brother’s death the memory be green, and that it us befitted to bear our hearts in grief, and our whole kingdom to be contracted in one brow of woe, yet so far hath discretion fought with nature that we with wisest sorrow think on him together with remembrance of ourselves.”(pg.10). He appears to touch on the death of the king with sorrow but he says later that they must move on to more important matters.

King Claudius

King Claudius seems to be kind andconsiderate, but he is just using one of hispersonal qualities:Deceptiveness.

First Impression When Claudius first appears, the first

impression he creates is a feeling of sarcasm. He only seems to be sarcastic to himself since he knows that he is not really sad for his brother’s death. “With mirth in funeral, and with dirge in marriage, in equal scale weighing delight and dole, taken to wife; nor have we herein barred your better wisdoms, which have freely gone with this affair along.”(pg.10)

Words that describe him

IncestuousManipulativeLiarMurdererAmbitious

Strongest Personality Traits

DeceptiveDeceitful Manipulative

“ No place indeed should murder sanctuarize; Revenge should have no bounds. But, good Laertes, Will you do this?”

How does the King affect Hamlet? King Claudius is the reason Hamlet is

seeking revenge. Because of the King, Hamlet begins to distrust everyone since he killed his own brother.

How does Hamlet affect the King? When Hamlet puts on t he play he

shows King Claudius that he knows his secret.

He mocks him making the King feel inferior.

What happens in Act 5?

King Claudius enforces the fencing match between Laertes and Hamlet. He is encouraging Hamlet to win but at the same time he poisons the drink. Things fall apart and he ends up getting stabbed by Hamlet.

The antagonist, a sensitive man?

“ My words fly up, my thoughts remain below; Words without thoughts never to heaven go.”

Although Claudius has proved true of his horrible traits, he does have sensitivity and love in him. He is devastated about Polonius death, and he truly loves Queen Gertrude. It is through Claudius’s guilt that we can see he hasn’t fully found a true meaning of life.

His ambition gets the best of him and his actions.