Hamlet
... conclusively prove his uncle was responsible for the murder of his father. Wolgang Weilgart said that Hamlet’s contemplation interferes with his action like a subtle corrosive. Hamlet spends more time contemplating his revenge than he does executing it (group 1). “A man of contemplation must become a man of action” (Weilgart 185). Even though Hamlet spends much time considering murdering Claudius to revenge his father and philosophizing ideas of life and death, he acts impulsively and recklessly without carefully thinking through his actions. This is demonstrated when he kills Polonius even thought he was not certain of his true identity. Hamlet’s main concerns are personal and philosophical and not about the state of Denmark. He is introspective and does not understand the complexity of ruling a kingdom. He shows no concern for the instability he is causing within the kingdom, which is dangerous for the security of Denmark. Claudius, unlike Hamlet, is a man of actions and not just words who is able to carry out his plans and achieve what he sets his mind to. There is no question about Claudius’s role as the villain in the tragedy. However, looking beyond this fact, one should consider the admirable qualities held by this power seeker. ----------, author of Style in Hamlet, states that King Claudius is “not self-conscious” but rather “suitable and calculating and always has a sense of purpose” (Book 1 221). In Act I, scene II, during what is his first oration as king, not only does he address the issue of mourning, but also that of the business of the state, the possibility of Fortinbras’s invasion and the definite defeat of Fortinbras (Book 1 221). This obviously demonstrates that Claudius is a man sure of his actions and that he is a leader concerned about his country despite loses. He makes it clear that even though they have lost a king, Denmark needs to mourn and move on for the well being of the country. In this speech, he seems to have firm control over the state of Denmark and makes it apparent that he is a man of the public. This is an act that Hamlet could not possible commit had he been crowned due to his instability and close connection to the former king. In addition to being a man concerned about the well being of Denmark, something Hamlet could never achieve because of his contemplative character, Claudius is a man of practicality who knows when to act and when to say certain things. According to ----------, he has a sense of “unexpected frankness and bluff honesty to know when to be evasive and when to be brutally direct,” (Book 1 225). This is revealed when he reveals to Laertes the news of his father’s death in Act IV. Although this may not seem like a very admirable quality because of the context of the situation, it gets the job done. When analyzing this from a ruler’s perspective, this is a quality that any good ruler needs in order to achieve stability. Claudius does not play around when it comes to business and is definitely a strategic man who is always one step ahead of the game. “Claudius has such an unswerving sense of purpose that he is able to exclude everything that does not further his own ends,” (Book 1 227). Because Claudius is a character who is always plotting in order to stay one ...