Hamlet's Decision To Kill Claudius In Hamlet By William Shakespeare

Although it may seem cowardly, Hamlet's decision to not kill King Claudius is just another act that conveys that he is indeed a patient strategist and thinker, revealing that those who do not let their emotions overpower their logic ultimately make the wisest decisions. Throughout the play, Hamlet continuously proves himself to be a curious and patient character. After discovering the truth about his father’s murder, instead of immediate action, Hamlet decides to strategically deceive the rest of the characters by convincing them that he is a madman, as a way of masking his true intentions of killing Claudius. In such a way, he will be able to cunningly kill the man he seeks revenge on while not serving as many consequences in the aftermath. His actions are

Similar to the trojan horse, Hamlet will be able to successfully deceive those around him through his madness. Furthermore, Hamlet’s innate ability to question societal norms is clearly evident when he says “For who would bear the whips and scorns of time.. When he himself might his quietus make, With a bare bodkin?”(3.2, 78-84). He proves himself to be someone who is inquisitive about life after death, a subject that is rarely thought of by any other characters in the play. Through questioning human fear of death and life beyond the afterlife, Hamlet proves that he is a character that is able to think beyond his time. Thus, when Hamlet is given the opportunity to kill Claudius as he prays, Hamlet decides to wait for a better time. After observing Claudius praying, Hamlet notices that killing will “Hire and salary, not revenge” (3.3, 83). Unlike his father, who was taken “grossly, full of bread”(3.3,