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    CSI Response.1

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    Claudius greets Hamlet in a patronizing manner when they meet, quickly transitioning from referring to Hamlet's mourning as "sweet and commendable" to insulting him using phrases like "impious stubbornness" and "unmanly grief". Claudius uses harsh language to validate his own new position as king and emasculate Hamlet, who had rights to the throne. Claudius also establishes his power over Hamlet in a subtle way by "beseeching" him to remain in Denmark, which is actually a veiled order. Throughout the interaction, Claudius hides his underlying malice beneath seemingly pleasant words, highlighting his cruel and self-serving nature as he aims to undermine any threat

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    CSI Response.1

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    Claudius greets Hamlet in a patronizing manner when they meet, quickly transitioning from referring to Hamlet's mourning as "sweet and commendable" to insulting him using phrases like "impious stubbornness" and "unmanly grief". Claudius uses harsh language to validate his own new position as king and emasculate Hamlet, who had rights to the throne. Claudius also establishes his power over Hamlet in a subtle way by "beseeching" him to remain in Denmark, which is actually a veiled order. Throughout the interaction, Claudius hides his underlying malice beneath seemingly pleasant words, highlighting his cruel and self-serving nature as he aims to undermine any threat

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    Claudius greets Hamlet in a patronizing manner when they meet, quickly transitioning from referring to Hamlet's mourning as "sweet and commendable" to insulting him using phrases like "impious stubbornness" and "unmanly grief". Claudius uses harsh language to validate his own new position as king and emasculate Hamlet, who had rights to the throne. Claudius also establishes his power over Hamlet in a subtle way by "beseeching" him to remain in Denmark, which is actually a veiled order. Throughout the interaction, Claudius hides his underlying malice beneath seemingly pleasant words, highlighting his cruel and self-serving nature as he aims to undermine any threat

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    70 views1 page

    CSI Response.1

    Uploaded by

    RodrigoTaipe93
    Claudius greets Hamlet in a patronizing manner when they meet, quickly transitioning from referring to Hamlet's mourning as "sweet and commendable" to insulting him using phrases like "impious stubbornness" and "unmanly grief". Claudius uses harsh language to validate his own new position as king and emasculate Hamlet, who had rights to the throne. Claudius also establishes his power over Hamlet in a subtle way by "beseeching" him to remain in Denmark, which is actually a veiled order. Throughout the interaction, Claudius hides his underlying malice beneath seemingly pleasant words, highlighting his cruel and self-serving nature as he aims to undermine any threat

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    Abby Broadhurst

    AP Literature
    November 15, 2013

    CSI: Hamlet (1.2.90-121)

    In the play, Hamlet, Shakespeare presents King Claudius as a condescending man worried about

    threats to his newfound position of power as he accepts the throne of the late King Hamlet. Indications as to

    this pretentious nature are evident in the first interaction between Claudius and his nephew, and now son,

    Hamlet. When Hamlet appears in the chamber, clothed in mourning colors, Claudius greets him in an almost

    patronizing manner as is highlighted by the quick transition in the tone of Claudius’s words which are used to

    address Hamlet. Although Claudius initially refers to Hamlet’s mourning as “sweet and commendable,” his

    words quickly adopt an undercurrent of insults. This transition is indicated by the word “but” which signifies

    Claudius’s intent to expound upon the nature of Hamlet’s grief. Claudius assails Hamlet with a barrage of

    insults, the words and phrases he uses all having a clear condescending connotation. Insulting phrases such as

    “impious stubbornness,” “unmanly grief,” and “a heart unfortified” collectively imply that Hamlet is simply a

    child who will not accept consolation and who is too stubborn and uneducated to recognize and change his

    behavior. Claudius’s scorn is clear in his words and it may be assumed that such harsh language is delivered

    with the intent to validate his own position as king. The complex situation that has denied Hamlet rights to his

    father’s throne prompts Claudius to emasculate his new son and protect his own interests. This self-serving

    aspect of Claudius’s character is also evident later in the passage when he states to Hamlet that his going back

    to Wittenberg “is most retrograde to our desire, and we beseech you to remain.” In addressing Hamlet in such

    a calm and falsely placating tone, Claudius is once again establishing his own power, although in a much more

    subtle manner. His use of the word “beseech” is ironic considering it is a veiled order that Hamlet is not to

    leave Denmark. Although Claudius begins and ends his communication with seemingly pleasant words, this

    only serves as a weak attempt to obscure the underlying malice. The condescending tone incorporated

    throughout his speech and the weakly veiled intimidation highlight Claudius’s cruel and self-serving nature as

    he attempts to undermine Hamlet’s position as he is the only other potential successor to the throne.

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