From the archive record
Claudius’s role as the play’s villain is cemented in these four short scenes. His reaction to the news that Hamlet has killed Polonius emphasizes his scheming personality; tellingly, his first concern is not for Gertrude, who actually witnessed the murder, but for himself. Viewing Hamlet as both a physical and political threat, Claudius is determined to get rid of him as soon as possible. His decision to have Hamlet killed in England demonstrates both a lack of moral integrity and a cunning political mind. Claudius comes up with a villainous plot to have Hamlet dispatched in secrecy, calling to mind the sneaky way in which Claudius murdered Hamlet’s father. Faced with another’s conviction and determination, Hamlet is once again forced to confront his own hesitancy and inaction. Throughout