Relationships in Hamlet

Relationships

In William Shakespeare's Hamlet, the character of Hamlet has many relationships with all characters. The theme of relationships is very strong in this play. A relationship is an association between two or more people. Hamlet has many of these associations with , Claudius, Ophelia, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. Many of his relationships are just and unjust according to the character's feelings.

The relationship between Claudius and Hamlet had many hidden meanings. The first time that Hamlet insults Claudius when someone else is around is when Claudius was supposed to help Hamlet cheer up. "A little more than kin, and less than kind" (Act 1, Scene II, Line 65) is what Hamlet said and at that point in time was very insulting. Act 3, had a play about a king getting poisoned. Claudius, who was watching this play, felt guilt for killing his brother, King Hamlet, and had to leave. Hamlet finally realizing that his father's ghost was telling the truth and went and found Claudius. Claudius was praying and so Hamlet felt that he could not have revenge for his father because of the act he was doing. Hamlet also needed to be on his own deathbed in order to finally get angry enough to kill Claudius. Hamlet’s final relation with Claudius was completely just even though it took his own life to finish it.

Ophelia, displaying once again her lack of regard for herself and her own feelings, agrees to see if Hamlet is acting crazy because he is in love. Before she knows it, she is placed in a predicament where she has to chose between her loyalty to her father, or her own feelings. She chose to lie to Hamlet rather than reveal her father. This is her fatal flaw. Hamlet, knowing she is lying to him, gets very angry and not only denys his feelings for her, he questions her integrity and refers to her as an impure woman. Hamlet is rude in his own day by asking Ophelia "Lady, shall I lie in your lap?" (Act 3, Scene II, Line 109) Ophelia had deserved the treatment she received from him. Hamlet was fed up with Ophelia ignoring him and always trying to stay away from him. From her betraying Hamlet and the denouncing of his love, this confrontation begins Ophelia true fall into insanity.

Rosencrantz