In his play Hamlet, Shakespeare really only gives us one moment prior to the final scene in which Hamlet had an opportunity to kill King Claudius. That moment is in
Act III, scene iii
, and happens soon after Claudius has seen the play in which his murder is pantomimed.
How many times could Hamlet have killed Claudius?
At long last, and in his last few moments on earth, Hamlet has finally gained revenge for the death of his father. There are
three times Hamlet
tries to kill Claudius. The first time occurs right after the play “The Mousetrap”. Claudius is praying, unguarded, and Hamlet has a perfect opportunity to stab him.
Why didn't Hamlet kill Claudius when he had the chance?
Hamlet does not kill Claudius when
he assumes that he is praying because he doesn't want Claudius to have the luxury of going to heaven
while his father, unjustly murdered, suffers in hell. … He doesn't want to do Claudius the “favor” of sending him to heaven.
Why can Hamlet finally kill Claudius?
Hamlet is finally able to kill Claudius
because Gertrude has now died
. … Because Hamlet no longer has to repress his desire, his strength returns, thus enabling him to kill Claudius not just once, but twice. Hamlet first cuts Claudius with his rapier, then forces him to drink from the poisoned cup.
What is ironic about Hamlet's attempt to kill Claudius?
Hamlet has said he will kill the king to avenge his father's death
. … If Claudius dies in prayer he will go straight to Heaven, unlike Hamlet's father. This scene is ironic since, even though Claudius is praying, he says they are just words flying up with no meaning to them.
How does Hamlet feel after killing Claudius?
Hamlet does not seem to feel guilty about killing Polonius. In fact, when Claudius inquires as to Polonius's whereabouts,
Hamlet engages in some rather off-color humor
, indicating that he feels no remorse about his actions.
What keeps Hamlet from killing Claudius?
Hamlet hesitates to kill Claudius in act 3 because Claudius
appears to be praying
. Hamlet fears that if Claudius dies while praying, when his soul is at its most pure, he will go directly to heaven. Hamlet wants Claudius to go to hell for his sins, so he reasons he cannot risk killing him now.
Why did Ophelia kill herself?
Ophelia kills herself
because the fate of Denmark is placed on her shoulders when she is asked to more or less spy on Hamlet
, her father has been murdered (by her former lover no less), from the confusion created by her father and brother with regard to the meaning of love, and her suicide is even an act of revenge.
Why this is hire and salary not revenge?
Why, this is hire and salary, not revenge. With all
his crimes broad blown
, as flush as May; And how his audit stands who knows save heaven. … He realizes that if Claudius dies while praying (i.e., repenting for his sins), he'll go to heaven.
Did Hamlet sleep with his mother?
Does Hamlet sleep with his mother?
No, Hamlet did not sleep with his mother
. … However, this hasn't stopped successive generations of literary scholars from using Freud's concept of the Oedipus complex to put forward the notion of an incestuous relationship between Hamlet and Gertrude.
Who kills Hamlet?
During the match,
Claudius
conspires with Laertes to kill Hamlet.
Why does Gertrude think Hamlet is mad?
Queen Gertrude, who is Hamlet's mother, speculates that the cause of this disturbance may be
that he is in love with Ophelia, daughter of Polonius
. This would be a very unequal match for a Prince of Denmark. The Queen then enlists Ophelia's aid in helping discern Hamlet's mental state.
What is Hamlet's tragic flaw?
The word ‘tragic flaw' is taken from the Greek concept of Hamartia used by Greek philosopher Aristotle in his Poetics. Shakespeare's tragic hero Hamlet's fatal flaw is his failure to act immediately to kill Claudius, his uncle and murderer of his father. His tragic flaw is ‘
procrastination
‘.
Does Claudius regret killing King Hamlet?
Claudius feels guilty about killing his brother
. We can see Claudius;s remorse when he is talking to God and gives his monologue about his his murder. Therefore, Claudius says, “My stronger guilt defeats my strong intent(pg.
How did Claudius kill King Hamlet?
Remember that Claudius killed King Hamlet
by pouring poison into his ear
. … As the ghost says in Act I, scene v, Claudius has poisoned “the whole ear of Denmark” with his words (I.v.36). The running imagery of ears and hearing serves as an important symbol of the power of words to manipulate the truth.
Why doesn't Hamlet kill Claudius when the king is kneeling and praying quizlet?
Hamlet doesn't kill the King when he is kneeling because
he is praying to repent his sins
. Hamlet believes that King Hamlet didn't go to Heaven because he never repented for his sins. He wants to wait for the King to sin again before killing him so that Claudius will go to hell instead of heaven.
