Post by mbenoit on Oct 12, 2011 21:41:57 GMT -5
In my opinion, Hamlet's dislike of King Claudius and his depression following his father's death led to him being portrayed as untrustworthy. Although Hamlet never openly goes against King Claudius, his feelings are evident. Hamlet will never look at Claudius as the true King of Denmark because Hamlet Sr. is the most worthy in his eyes. Claudius asks Hamlet to think of him as his father, but he never responds to this. Claudius says, "Think of us as of a father." (pg. 14.) Hamlet ignores this statement and will only acknowledge the orders that his mother gives him. Hamlet believes it was wrong of Claudius to marry his mother, Gertrude, because incest is illegal. When Claudius first speaks of Hamlet as his son and nephew Hamlet responds in a whispered aside, "A little more than kin and less than kind." (pg. 12). Hamlet is showing his distaste for the family ties Claudius and himself hold. Later in Act I Hamlet again speaks of his feelings on the relationship of Claudius and Gertrude. He says, "The dram of e'il doth all the noble substance often doubt to his own scandal." (pg. 30). Incest is evil in Hamlet's eyes, so he thinks a scandal will soon befall Claudius. People do not take kindly to royal family members showing dislike for the king. The king is the highest power in the land and everyone must follow what he says, so it puts them on edge when someone blatantly dislikes his rule. Disliking the king has made Hamlet an outsider in his own country. Polonius is the Lord Chamberlain of Claudius's court, so he would obviously distrust Hamlet because of his feelings toward Claudius. Polonius tells his children, especially his daughter Ophelia, to stay away from Hamlet and not trust what he says. Even though Hamlet is not an untrustworthy person his dislike of the king has made people brand him as such.
Hamlet's period of grieving after his father's death also gave him a bad name. The people believed that his grieving period was too long and that it was showing disrespect to his family and the new king. Claudius said, "But to persever in obstinate condolement is a course of impious stubbornness. 'Tis unmanly grief." (pg. 14). Claudius basically referred to Hamlet as stubborn and unmanly for mourning the death of his beloved father. Everyone else took very little time to mourn the death of Hamlet Sr. Hamlet also had thoughts of suicide after his father's death. Suicide was against the law according to God at the time and people who had these severe thoughts were looked upon as strange. Hamlet did not value his life, so people looked at him as an outsider. Hamlet said, "Oh, that this too, too sullied flesh would melt, thaw, and resolve itself into a dew, or that the Everlasting had not fixed his canon 'gainst self-slaughter!"(pg. 15). Later in Act I he says, "I do not set my life at a pin's fee." (pg. 31). Both of these quotes show how very little Hamlet valued his life. People recognized how Hamlet felt and that made them uneasy. They could not understand Hamlet, so it effectively made him untrustworthy in their eyes.
Hamlet's actions and feelings have branded him untrustworthy, although he truly has done nothing untrustworthy. Everyone that says he is untrustworthy is even more so themselves. I think that this label that he holds will ultimately come to hurt him. The woman he supposedly has feelings for, Ophelia, has been told not to associate herself with him. The King and his court also are uneasy around Hamlet because of this, making him an outsider of the royal family of which he is a member.
Hamlet's period of grieving after his father's death also gave him a bad name. The people believed that his grieving period was too long and that it was showing disrespect to his family and the new king. Claudius said, "But to persever in obstinate condolement is a course of impious stubbornness. 'Tis unmanly grief." (pg. 14). Claudius basically referred to Hamlet as stubborn and unmanly for mourning the death of his beloved father. Everyone else took very little time to mourn the death of Hamlet Sr. Hamlet also had thoughts of suicide after his father's death. Suicide was against the law according to God at the time and people who had these severe thoughts were looked upon as strange. Hamlet did not value his life, so people looked at him as an outsider. Hamlet said, "Oh, that this too, too sullied flesh would melt, thaw, and resolve itself into a dew, or that the Everlasting had not fixed his canon 'gainst self-slaughter!"(pg. 15). Later in Act I he says, "I do not set my life at a pin's fee." (pg. 31). Both of these quotes show how very little Hamlet valued his life. People recognized how Hamlet felt and that made them uneasy. They could not understand Hamlet, so it effectively made him untrustworthy in their eyes.
Hamlet's actions and feelings have branded him untrustworthy, although he truly has done nothing untrustworthy. Everyone that says he is untrustworthy is even more so themselves. I think that this label that he holds will ultimately come to hurt him. The woman he supposedly has feelings for, Ophelia, has been told not to associate herself with him. The King and his court also are uneasy around Hamlet because of this, making him an outsider of the royal family of which he is a member.