3.2.1

Claudius' Crime

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Claudius' Crime in Hamlet

Claudius commits the crime which overshadows the whole play: the murder of King Hamlet.

Magnitude of Claudius' crime

Magnitude of Claudius' crime

The crime is not simply fratricide – the murder of one’s brother – but regicide – the murder of a king.
The crime is of such a magnitude that it pollutes the whole world of the play.
The whole state of Denmark has become “rotten” by Claudius’ “rank” offence against nature, family and God.

Claudius' motives for the crime

Claudius' motives for the crime

The motives for the crime are revealed when he is at prayer in A3S3.
Claudius lists them in a single line: “My crown, mine own ambition, and my queen”.
But his motives are never fully explained. We never learn of when ambition for the crown first stirred within him or exactly what his true feelings towards Gertrude are.
Whether Claudius was motivated by sexual desire for Gertrude or whether he simply used her as a way of securing the crown for himself is never settled in the play.

1

Introduction

1.1

Introduction & Background to Hamlet

1.1.1Introduction to Hamlet 1.1.2The Literary Tradition of the Hamlet Story 1.1.3Introduction to the Settings in Hamlet 1.1.4Introduction to Social Issues Raised

2

Plot Summary

2.1

Act 1: Key Events & Ideas

2.1.1Act 1, Scene 1 2.1.2Act 1, Scene 2 2.1.3Act 1, Scene 3 2.1.4Act 1, Scenes 4-5

2.2

Act 2: Key Events & Ideas

2.2.1Act 2, Scene 1 2.2.2Act 2, Scene 2

2.3

Act 3: Key Events & Ideas

2.3.1Act 3, Scene 1: Key Events 2.3.2Act 3, Scene 1: Key Ideas 2.3.3Act 3, Scene 2 2.3.4Act 3, Scene 3 2.3.5Act 3, Scene 4

2.4

Act 4: Key Events & Ideas

2.4.1Act 4, Scene 1 2.4.2Act 4, Scenes 2-3 2.4.3Act 4, Scene 4 2.4.4Act 4, Scene 5: Key Events 2.4.5Act 4, Scene 5: Key Ideas 2.4.6Act 4, Scene 6 2.4.7Act 4, Scene 7

2.5

Act 5: Key Events & Ideas

2.5.1Act 5, Scene 1: Key Events 2.5.2Act 5, Scene 2: Key Events 2.5.3Act 5, Scene 2: Key Ideas

3

Character Profiles

3.1

Hamlet

3.1.1Hamlet's Speech & Mind 3.1.2Hamlet's Heroic Status 3.1.3Hamlet's State of Mind 3.1.4Hamlet's Indecision/Action Taking

3.2

Claudius

3.2.1Claudius' Crime 3.2.2Changing Impressions of Claudius

3.3

Gertrude

3.3.1Mystery & Hamlet's View of Gertrude 3.3.2Gertrude's Character 3.3.3Gertrude's Relationship with Hamlet

3.4

Ophelia

3.5

Polonius

3.5.1Portrayal of Polonius & Treatment of Ophelia 3.5.2Polonius' Spying & Death

3.6

Laertes

3.6.1Laertes' Popularity & Relationship with Ophelia 3.6.2Laertes' Character Traits

4

Key Themes

4.1

Regicide in Hamlet

4.1.1Regicide in Hamlet

4.2

Madness in Hamlet

4.2.1Madness in Hamlet

4.3

Guilt & Punishment in Hamlet

4.3.1Guilt in Hamlet 4.3.2Punishment in Hamlet

4.4

Settings in Hamlet

4.4.1Physical Settings & Historical Setting of Hamlet

5

Writing Techniques

5.1

Structure

5.1.1Structure of Hamlet 5.1.2'Play Within a Play' Structure 5.1.3Play-Acting Motif

5.2

Form

5.2.1Soliloquy 5.2.2Comedy

5.3

Imagery

5.3.1Imagery of Corruption & Decay 5.3.2Imagery: Healing, Performance & Costume

5.4

Language

5.4.1Word Usage & Hendiadys 5.4.2Questions & Classical Allusions

6

Context

6.1

Social & Historical Context

6.1.1Elizabeth I & Succession 6.1.2Cosmic & Social Hierarchy 6.1.3Renaissance & Emergence of Humanism 6.1.4Regicide 6.1.5The Reformation

6.2

Literary Context

6.2.1Seneca Tragedy 6.2.2The Revenge Tragedy

6.3

Performance & Textual History

6.3.1Performance History of Hamlet 6.3.2Textual History of Hamlet

7

Critical Debates

7.1

18-19th Century Responses to Hamlet

7.1.1Introduction to Critical Debates 7.1.218th Century Commentary on Hamlet 7.1.3Romantic Commentary on Hamlet

7.2

20th Century Responses to Hamlet

7.2.1Freudian Response to Hamlet 7.2.2Other Early 20th Century Responses to Hamlet

7.3

Feminist Readings of Hamlet

7.3.1Introduction to Feminist Criticism 7.3.2Feminist Readings of Hamlet 7.3.3Presentation of Ophelia

7.4

Marxist/Political Readings of Hamlet

7.4.1Introduction to Marxist Criticisms 7.4.2Marxist Readings of Hamlet

Jump to other topics

1

Introduction

1.1

Introduction & Background to Hamlet

1.1.1Introduction to Hamlet 1.1.2The Literary Tradition of the Hamlet Story 1.1.3Introduction to the Settings in Hamlet 1.1.4Introduction to Social Issues Raised

2

Plot Summary

2.1

Act 1: Key Events & Ideas

2.1.1Act 1, Scene 1 2.1.2Act 1, Scene 2 2.1.3Act 1, Scene 3 2.1.4Act 1, Scenes 4-5

2.2

Act 2: Key Events & Ideas

2.2.1Act 2, Scene 1 2.2.2Act 2, Scene 2

2.3

Act 3: Key Events & Ideas

2.3.1Act 3, Scene 1: Key Events 2.3.2Act 3, Scene 1: Key Ideas 2.3.3Act 3, Scene 2 2.3.4Act 3, Scene 3 2.3.5Act 3, Scene 4

2.4

Act 4: Key Events & Ideas

2.4.1Act 4, Scene 1 2.4.2Act 4, Scenes 2-3 2.4.3Act 4, Scene 4 2.4.4Act 4, Scene 5: Key Events 2.4.5Act 4, Scene 5: Key Ideas 2.4.6Act 4, Scene 6 2.4.7Act 4, Scene 7

2.5

Act 5: Key Events & Ideas

2.5.1Act 5, Scene 1: Key Events 2.5.2Act 5, Scene 2: Key Events 2.5.3Act 5, Scene 2: Key Ideas

3

Character Profiles

3.1

Hamlet

3.1.1Hamlet's Speech & Mind 3.1.2Hamlet's Heroic Status 3.1.3Hamlet's State of Mind 3.1.4Hamlet's Indecision/Action Taking

3.2

Claudius

3.2.1Claudius' Crime 3.2.2Changing Impressions of Claudius

3.3

Gertrude

3.3.1Mystery & Hamlet's View of Gertrude 3.3.2Gertrude's Character 3.3.3Gertrude's Relationship with Hamlet

3.4

Ophelia

3.5

Polonius

3.5.1Portrayal of Polonius & Treatment of Ophelia 3.5.2Polonius' Spying & Death

3.6

Laertes

3.6.1Laertes' Popularity & Relationship with Ophelia 3.6.2Laertes' Character Traits

4

Key Themes

4.1

Regicide in Hamlet

4.1.1Regicide in Hamlet

4.2

Madness in Hamlet

4.2.1Madness in Hamlet

4.3

Guilt & Punishment in Hamlet

4.3.1Guilt in Hamlet 4.3.2Punishment in Hamlet

4.4

Settings in Hamlet

4.4.1Physical Settings & Historical Setting of Hamlet

5

Writing Techniques

5.1

Structure

5.1.1Structure of Hamlet 5.1.2'Play Within a Play' Structure 5.1.3Play-Acting Motif

5.2

Form

5.2.1Soliloquy 5.2.2Comedy

5.3

Imagery

5.3.1Imagery of Corruption & Decay 5.3.2Imagery: Healing, Performance & Costume

5.4

Language

5.4.1Word Usage & Hendiadys 5.4.2Questions & Classical Allusions

6

Context

6.1

Social & Historical Context

6.1.1Elizabeth I & Succession 6.1.2Cosmic & Social Hierarchy 6.1.3Renaissance & Emergence of Humanism 6.1.4Regicide 6.1.5The Reformation

6.2

Literary Context

6.2.1Seneca Tragedy 6.2.2The Revenge Tragedy

6.3

Performance & Textual History

6.3.1Performance History of Hamlet 6.3.2Textual History of Hamlet

7

Critical Debates

7.1

18-19th Century Responses to Hamlet

7.1.1Introduction to Critical Debates 7.1.218th Century Commentary on Hamlet 7.1.3Romantic Commentary on Hamlet

7.2

20th Century Responses to Hamlet

7.2.1Freudian Response to Hamlet 7.2.2Other Early 20th Century Responses to Hamlet

7.3

Feminist Readings of Hamlet

7.3.1Introduction to Feminist Criticism 7.3.2Feminist Readings of Hamlet 7.3.3Presentation of Ophelia

7.4

Marxist/Political Readings of Hamlet

7.4.1Introduction to Marxist Criticisms 7.4.2Marxist Readings of Hamlet

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1
What is NOT one of Claudius' motives for murdering King Hamlet?Multiple choice

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Hamlet's Indecision/Action Taking

Changing Impressions of Claudius