Claudius' Soliloquy (3.3.36-72)

Claudius' Soliloquy (3.3.36-72)

By: Emma Rosen

Analysis

Claudius' Perception

The pattern of questioning in the soliloquy, for example: "Is there not rain enough in the sweet heavens/ To wash it white as snow? Whereto serves mercy/ But to confront the visage of offence?", emphasizes and illustrates Claudius' tribulations (3.3.45-47). Since he is torn between repenting and relishing in his new power, the repetition of questions serves to instill the same senses of confusion and urgency that Claudius feels at this time. There is also a parallel evident between Claudius's soliloquy and Hamlet's "To be or not to be" soliloquy. Since both characters display similar feelings of confusion, vulnerability, and need for divine support, this draws anomalous similarities between the protagonist and antagonist of the play.

Although Claudius explicitly states that he perceives his murder of King Hamlet and his deception of the kingdom to be sinful and morally wrong, he also perceives his rewards, "[his] crown, [his] own ambition, and [his] queen, to be well-worth the consequences (3.3.59). Lastly, he perceives Hamlet as a legitimate threat to the sanctity of the kingdom and more importantly to his life.

Context

Importance to Plot

After watching Hamlet's play, Claudius calls in Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, ordering them to take Hamlet to England with them. He fears Hamlet has discovered his treachery and that Hamlet's madness might be dangerous. When left alone, Claudius admits his sins, but states that he is not yet prepared to give up what he has gained through the murder, the crown and the queen.

In this scene, the reader is finally given concrete evidence that Claudius truly did kill his brother, a fact that was never certain. This revelation serves partly to foreshadow the approaching climax. Claudius decides that "pray [he] can not,/ Though inclination be as sharp as will", which indicates that he is maintaining a stubborn, greedy mindset, not wanting to give up his newly-acquired power (3.3.42-43). This soliloquy is also important to the characterization of Claudius, as it reveals a raw, human side of him that is neither as lecherous nor as homicidal as he had been portrayed before.

Claudius' Perspective

Before this point, Claudius has shown no signs of remorse or guilt about killing his brother. Now it is clear that Claudius has realized the magnitude of his actions, that his "offence is rank it smells to heaven", and fears the extent of Hamlet's knowledge (3.3.40). For a moment, he is also torn about whether to repent his actions, believing that he cannot seek forgiveness while he is "still possessed/ Of those effects" for which he murdered the king (3.3.57-58). During this soliloquy, it is evident that Claudius sees the world as complicated, knowing that one does not simply ask for forgiveness without giving up the effects of the murder; judgmental, seeing as he obviously feels pressure to repent; and dangerous, especially with Hamlet around, who is clearly on to him.

Works Cited

Caves, Jessica. Hamlet. N.d. Photograph. Bears English Page. 19 Feb. 2012. Web. 10 Oct. 2013.

Hamlet. N.d. Photograph. Novello. The Guardian. By Marilyn Kingwill. 9 Dec. 2008. Web. 10 Oct. 2013.

Shakespeare, William, Barbara A. Mowat, and Paul Werstine. The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark. New York: Washington Square, 2002. Print.