Hamlet is a strategic play by Shakespeare. The play has a number of themes like mortality, madness, women and political livelihoods. Most of the characters are driven by their own well-being. They do not mind hurting others. This paper will concentrate on the role of kindness in the play. It will show how kindness was used by different characters when determining their own destiny.
The first character to look at is Ophelia. Ophelia shows her goodness from the start of the piece. This is shown by the way she is devoted and shows concern to others. Ophelia prays for a number of times for the help of heavens. Shakespeare (3.1.135, 143) states “O, help him, you sweet heavens “ and “Heavenly power restore him”. In most of the cases Ophelia pleads for Hamlet. This shows her kindness and concern for him. Ophelia is made vulnerable by her kindness to Hamlet. “For wise men know well enough that monsters you make of them” shows that the sins of Gertrude were imposed upon Ophelia (3.1.140-141). Hamlet uses the kindness of Ophelia to release his frustrations. In spite of all this she still loves Polonius and Hamlet unconditionally. This makes her not to know what is going on around
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Claudius kindness is shown when he assumes the role of the chief mourner during the kings’ death. He shows deep distress while mourning his brother who he killed. He quickly turns the mourning into a celebration, “With mirth in funeral and with dirge in marriage”. Through this he unites the people through a collective suffering. Through his kindness he sends Cornelius and Voltimand in order to appease the Norwegian king. He likes Ophelia and he usually treated her with kindness. The kindness he shows the queen makes her defend him all the time. This is shown when she was in agreement that they send her son to the battle field. From this, Claudius uses kindness to hide his evil deeds from the other