Guilt And Madness In Hamlet

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Merriam-Webster defines guilt as “a bad feeling caused by knowing or thinking that you have done something bad or wrong”. Shakespeare incorporated more guilt and madness into “Hamlet” more than any other emotions, and he ultimately built the story around the two feelings. When “guilt” and “Hamlet” are mentioned in the same sentence, people normally think about Claudius. Throughout the play, it is hard for readers to really understand whether or not Claudius feels real guilt, or if he is just scared of being killed or exposed by his stepson-nephew Hamlet. Several instances infer that he only feels guilt because he is scared of Hamlet, but there are a few times when it seems that he feels real guilt.

One of the main reasons that some people …show more content…

“My words fly up, my thoughts remain below: Words without thoughts never to heaven go.”(Shakespeare). With all of the things happening in his life, Claudius begins to think a lot more about how he feels about everything. Ultimately, Claudius feels guilt for his action, but he would rather cover up the truth than uncover it. Earlier in the story, 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”(Shakespeare). At that point in the story, Claudius believed that it was understandable for the people to mourn for King Hamlet’s death, but he thinks that they should move on, and come to accept him as their king.

Throughout the story, different events give contradictory views on whether or not Claudius ever really truly feels remorse and/or guilt. I believe that at one point in the story, Claudius felt true remorse, and that was when he was praying. I believe that Claudius does truly feel sorry for murdering King Hamlet, but he is too greedy to admit it to the people and Hamlet. His possessions are the only thing that stops him from ever revealing the truth. It is hard to really tell if Claudius ever reaches a real point

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