Hamlet+1.2

6. I strongly dislike Claudius's attitude towards Hamlet. He claims that his decision to deny Hamlet a trip back to Wittenberg was made with Hamlet's best interests in mind. However, in actuality it is probably best, considering the circumstances, that Hamlet spend some time away. He has just recently lost his father and his mother has proceeded to marry his uncle almost immediately after that. At home, in Denmark he would be miserable. In my opinion the relationship between King Claudius and Hamlet seems fake and a bit strained. While Claudius claims to be acting with Hamlet's best interests in mind, he is actually leading him astray and preventing Hamlet from recovering from his grief by forcing him to stay in a place where he is miserable and no longer comfortable.

7. I feel extremely sorry for Hamlet. Not only has Hamlet lost his father, but he has also lost his mother through her marriage to his uncle immediately after her husband's death. Then when he requests to return to Wittenberg, King Claudius denies his plea, telling him that it would be best for him to stay at home in Denmark, a place where he is miserable due to his circumstances. To top it off, his friends tell him that they have witnessed the ghost of his dead father and are questioning what this might mean both for Hamlet and for others in Elsinore. It seems that Hamlet's familial circumstances have suddenly taken a turn for the worse in the past two months and I understand his misery and confusion as he struggles to deal with these new and slightly confusing circumstances.

5. I do not like King Claudius for his hypocrisy and lack of sympathy. Claudius readily agrees with Laertes' request to return to France; however, on the very same day, he denies Hamlet's request to return to Wittenberg where he would be more comfortable. At this point, having lost both his father and his mother, one to death, one to marriage, it is understandable that Hamlet might be a little mentally unstable and in need of a getaway in order to recover. I think it is completely unreasonable to deny Hamlet of his request and to let him stay in a place where he is absolutely miserable. Additionally, when Hamlet mentions that he is still grieving the recent loss of his father, Claudius tells him to take the situation like a man and to immediately accept the fact that every living being must die and that everybody will have to deal with the death of a loved one and that he might as well get past his grief sooner rather than later. I think that this, too is an unreasonable request. Hamlet had been dealing with a lot of sudden changes and since his father just recently died, it is appropriate to give him an adequate amount of time to grieve over this loss. However, Claudius does not understand Hamlet's position and his misery and even denies him a period of grieving.