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 ‘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 and Gertrude, insults Polonius by calling him ‘… a fishmonger’ (Act 2, Scene II, Line 172), in other words a pimp. This is not the only way that Hamlet offended Polonius.
Hamlet offended Polonius by insulting his daughter. Hamlet had practically no other real interaction with Polonius to truly find out his real feelings and personality. Hamlet in act 3, scene 3, kills Polonius that was eavesdropping and hiding behind the curtains. Hamlet felt that it was Claudius behind the curtains but, when it was not he was still happy to kill the eavesdropper. This was very unjust to Polonius because Hamlet did not truly know that Polonius was all that bad as Claudius knew. Horatio was Hamlet’s only true friend.
Horatio is the only other person who not only saw the ghost but, he knew what King Hamlet’s Ghost told Hamlet. He also had the job of watching Claudius, while the play was going on, in order to see if he showed his guilt. Lastly, at the end of the play, Hamlet gives Horatio the task of telling everybody why Hamlet had feigned madness and the murders of ‘… thou so many princes at a shot’. (Act 5, Scene II, Line 358) Hamlet could not do it himself because he died along with other important characters. He told Horatio, ‘But I do prophesy the election lights / On Fortinbras; he has my dying voice; / So tell him, with the occur rents, more and less,’ .
(Act 5, Scene II, Lines 348-350) At one point Horatio wanted to finish the poisoned wine, but Hamlet convinced him to tell his story. Hamlet truly needed Horatio because he needed som one to talk or he probably would have gone crazy. The just relationship between Hamlet and Horatio also really helped the play, Hamlet, play out with true feelings and emotions. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are two of Hamlets childhood friends who when asked by the king, try to find out what is troubling the young prince. Both help to contribute to the theme by showing their appearance of being Hamlet’s friends. The pair go to Hamlet pretending to be his friends, when in truth they are only there because the king asked them to find the truth.
There is some irony within the twins, they are asked by the king to find out the truth by hiding within a lie. Hamlet realizes their purpose for their visit is to dig into his soul to find the real reason for his actions as of late. As the play continues the twins are asked again by the king to go to Hamlet and try again to find the real reason for Hamlets behavior. Hamlet insults them at every chance knowing they are lying to him about their purpose of the visit. ‘Tis as easy as lying; govern these vintages with / you finger and thumb, give it breath with your mouth,’ . (Act 3, Scene II, Lines 348-349) As the play continues Hamlet is sent off to England with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern for him to pay for his crimes.
Hamlet finding the letter to England changes it to say kill the possessors of the letter. Hamlet on the way to England gets supposedly kidnapped by pirates, while Rosencrantz and Guildenstern go to England and get executed. Hamlet felt they got what they deserved when they followed out the king’s plan of action. With all of the corruption and back stabbing in Denmark, Hamlet thought out every decision with great intelligence.
Hamlet’s human relationships with the ghost, Gertrude, Claudius, Ophelia, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern were all very just and deserving. As Hamlet finds out they all contain lies and have hidden intentions within them. Hamlet’s blinding rage against Polonius was very hurtful and unjust. Hamlet’s friend, Horatio, was his only true friend and he helped Hamlet until the end. As Marcellus said it best, ‘Something is rotten in Denmark.’ (Act 1, Scene 4, Line 90) That being the lies, which have replaced or covered the true state of each character..