Hamlets Relationships

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

The ghost of King Hamlet played an important role during the book. The first interaction between King Hamlet's Ghost can be simply called extreme. Hamlet is extreme when he goes with the ghost that looks like his father even though his friends warn him that the ghost may be evil and ". . .tempt you toward the flood . . . Or to the dreadful summit of the cliff . . ." (Act 1, Scene IV, Lines 69-70). If the prince was thinking right he would not have gone with the ghost that resembled the old ". . . King, father, royal Dane . . ." (Act 1, Scene IV, Line 45) Hamlet's radical actions let him find out about Claudius' devious murder of his brother, King Hamlet . The ghost of King Hamlet has described Claudius as "...that incestuous, that adulterate beast" (Act 1, Scene V, Line 43). King Hamlet wants Hamlet to get revenge against Claudius for killing him, but he does not want Gertrude to get hurt while this is going on. Hamlet therefore delays in killing Claudius because he needs to find out if his mother has anything to do with the treachery. Hamlet took this relationship cautiously and did this correctly because ghosts were thought as underhandedly evil.

The relationship between Hamlet and Gertrude is interpreted as the Oedipus complex. The Oedipus complex refers to the thoughts some men have regarding their mother or maternal figures. Many scenes from the play can prove Hamlet did have these thoughts about his mother, such as acts one and three. Gertrude's fondness and helpfulness to protect her son is also displayed throughout the play. This can be seen in the play many times, even up to when Gertrude is about to die. She tries to save Hamlet from drinking the poison himself. Also when Hamlet tries to get Gertrude to believe him that Claudius killed King Hamlet, she thinks that Hamlet has gone mad. He wants his mother to take this opportunity to save herself from Claudius while she still can. Gertrude refused to accept the fact that Claudius is the killer up until he finally got her to believe he is not insane. "Not this, by no means, that I bid you do: / Let the bloat king tempt you again to bed;". (Act 3, Scene 4, Lines 83-84) From the excerpt, Hamlet also told Gertrude not to tell Claudius that he knows of his murderous evil act. Hamlet's feelings toward his mother during the play was very just even during the closet scene where he was constantly risking her life.

The relationship between Claudius and Hamlet had many hidden meanings. The first time that Hamlet offends Claudius in the company of another person is when Claudius was suppose 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 during this era of time was very insulting. Act 3, Scene 3 had a play about a king getting poisoned. Claudius, who was watching this play, felt remorse 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 sweet revenge for his father because of the holy act he was doing. Hamlet, still having a hard time getting revenge, applied his anger from the judgment of his mother to kill who he thought was Claudius behind the curtains. Hamlet also needed to be on his own deathbed in order to finally get angry enough to kill Claudius. Hamlet final relation with Claudius was completely just even though it took his own life to finish it.

Ophelia, exhibiting once again her lack of regard for herself and her desires, agrees to participate in the intent to see if Hamlet is acting crazy because he is in love. In a split second, she is placed in a situation where she has to chose between her loyalty to her father, or her own conviction. She chose to lie to Hamlet rather than reveal her father. This is her fatal flaw. Hamlet, knowing she is lying to him, goes on a rant and not only denounces his feelings for her, he questions her integrity and refers to her as a whore (Act 3, Scene 1, Line 111-115). Hamlet is crude 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 Hamlet. Hamlet was fed up with Ophelia ignoring him and trying to stay away from him. Even with the betrayal she was just going through all the commands of her father and brother but you should not need anyone telling you who to love. From her betraying Hamlet and the denouncing of his love, this confrontation begins Ophelia true descent into insanity.

Polonius, the kings royal assistant, has a preoccupation with appearances. He always wants to keep up the appearance of a loving and caring person. Polonius appears like a man who loves and cares about his son, Laertes. Polonius speaks to his son with advice that sounds sincere but in reality it is rehearsed, hollow and without feeling. In reality Polonius lies, manipulates people and eavesdrops on peoples conversation. Polonius helps contribute to minor theme of appearance versus reality by showing how his appearance is not his true nature, behind the mask there lies someone totally different. Hamlet is openly rude to is Polonius. Hamlet, in front of Claudius