Book Analysis: Hamlet by William Shakespeare by Bright Summaries

Author:Bright Summaries
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: BrightSummaries.com
Published: 2016-09-14T16:00:00+00:00

Claudius, Gertrude, Polonius and Laertes

In the play, these four characters are opponents of Hamlet. Claudius murdered his father, Gertrude betrayed her former husband by marrying his murderer and Polonius tries to distance his daughter, Ophelia, from Hamlet, believing he is mad. They represent lying, betrayal and hypocrisy. They are nothing but facades.

Laertes also opposes Hamlet, and is almost a double of him: his father was also murdered by Hamlet in the play. Laertes is distrusting of Hamlet, just like Polonius, and benefits from the scheme that Claudius wishes to put in place to get rid of Hamlet. He is therefore on the side of the opponents. However, his character is more ambiguous because his love for Ophelia appears genuine, and like Hamlet, he seeks above all to know what happened to his father: “His means of death, his obscure funeral - No trophy, sword, nor hatchment o'er his bones, no noble rite nor formal ostentation - cry to be heard, as 'twere from heaven to earth, that I must call't in question” (Act IV, Scene V).

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