Hamlet

A young man returns home for his fathers funeral and discovers his mother has married the man accused of murdering his father. It is a savage tale of revenge, Shakespeare constructed a story universal in significance: a story of a young man coming to grips with his fathers death, his mothers sexual nature and the inexplicable meaning of creation.

We know that in the play, King Hamlet has only recently died. Claudius, his brother, has become King of Denmark and married Gertrude, Hamlet's wife. So Claudius now has his brothers throne and his wife. King Hamlet and Gertrude's son, Hamlet, is still in grieving for his late father and is disgusted that his mother can marry so soon after the kings death. Hamlet, is a young man of high ideals in a corrupt world, devastated to discover the sham of what he had taken as lasting and true. Hamlet cannot endure in the face of reality and is profoundly disillusioned by his mothers betrayal. He discovers that the world is not what he thought it was. His basic assumptions are destroyed and he is plunged into despair and chaos.

Claudius addresses Hamlet as 'son' and 'cousin', this can mean any close relative, this is rather fitting as Claudius is both Hamlets uncle and step-father. Hamlets reply to this is an aside which is not meant to be heard by any of the other characters on stage and they help give the audience an insight into what they are thinking. Hamlets reply was "A little more than kin and less than kind" which we can interpret as Hamlet does not want to be like Claudius, they may be related by more than one mean but they are definitely not of the same 'kind'.

Gertrude rebukes Hamlet for his continued mourning over his fathers death and questions whether he is putting it on. "Why seems it so particular with thee?" However Hamlet insists that his black clothing and general melancholy does match the way he is feeling and reflect his sorrow for his fathers death, but at the same time the sound of the first word Hamlet speaks to his mother "Seems Madam...." Implies that it was in actual fact her that did not feel sorrow for his fathers death. Not only does Gertrude criticise Hamlet for his mourning but so does Claudius, "In obstinate condolement..." but in front of the court declares Hamlet as next in line to the throne. Claudius in a single paragraph displays many different attitudes towards Hamlet, yet we see the one attitude of Claudius from Hamlet. At points, Claudius is warm and supportive of Hamlet, but then he is hard and uncompromising, his intentions are not entirely clear. Claudius refuses Hamlet permission to return to University but wishes him to stay in Denmark where he can keep an eye on him, "It is most retrograde to our desires..." .

The next part of the scene sees a powerful soliloquy by Hamlet, revealing his true thoughts of Claudius and Gertrude. In it he recalls his dead father and how he was superior to Claudius "Hyperion to a satyr", a satyr is a lecherous creature which is half man and half goat while Hyperion is a sun god. He also recalls his fathers powerful love for his mother and how in return Gertrude passionately loved his father. The speech also reveals the relationship he had with his late father. He has a god like image of him, almost heroic, and it is very obvious he still loves his father very much, firstly because he is