Monday, November 18, 2013

What are some quotations from Hamlet that indicate that Hamlet wants to kill Claudius at the right moment, when he is sinning?

Act III, Scene iii is where Hamlet sees Claudius praying
before confession.  This is an important moment, and shows the depth of Hamlet's hate
for Claudius.  The reason that Hamlet is hesitant to kill Claudius while he is at prayer
is stated, clearly, by Hamlet to himself:


readability="11.168831168831">

Now might I do it href="#prestwick-gloss-ham-3-3-135">pat, now he is praying;
And
now I'll do't. And so he goes to heaven,
And so am I revenged. That href="#prestwick-gloss-ham-3-3-136">would be href="#prestwick-gloss-ham-3-3-137">scann'd.
A villain kills my
father; and for that,
I, his sole son, do this same villain send

To heaven.
(80)



Literally, while Hamlet
is watching his uncle/stepfather from a hidden position, Hamlet is saying that he could
"do it pat" -- kill Claudius, right then, and right there.  Claudius is kneeling, and
presumably unarmed, and Hamlet has the advantage.  So what stops him?  It is not
scruples -- it is the opposite.  It is a fiendish desire to make Claudius suffer not
just his death in this moment, but for eternity in the fires of hell for his sin of
killing Old King Hamlet.


Hamlet reasons that, if he kills
Claudius while he is praying, sincerely (as he has just expressed regret for his sin in
his soliloquy, if he has not regretted the fruits of it -- his crown, queen, and
kingdom) to God, that God may well forgive Claudius and take him up to heaven.  The idea
of Claudius in the bosom of the Lord enrages Hamlet so much that he cannot bring himself
to do it (or is this just an excuse for his actual scruples against killing someone in
cold blood -- we are not entirely certain). Hamlet is disgusted with the idea of killing
the forgiven, heaven-bound Claudius.  He says
bitterly:


readability="11.668508287293">

O, this is hire and salary, not
revenge!
He took my father grossly, full of bread,
With all his
crimes broad blown, as flush as May;
And how his href="#prestwick-gloss-ham-3-3-138">audit stands, who knows save
heaven?



This is "hire and
salary" -- merely doing a favor for Claudius, to kill him thus, Hamlet says!  He
compares the crime of Claudius who, when he killed his father, Old Hamlet's crimes
(sins, any of them, small or large) were "broad blown" -- that is, any of the sins he
had committed since his last confession were unforgiven as yet.  Old Hamlet was "full of
bread" -- meaning he had just eaten, and therefore couldn't receive Holy Communion
(there was the church law of fasting before Communion) and get the grace of God before
he died.  Hamlet is saying, bitterly, but quite rightly, that Claudius didn't give Old
Hamlet any chance to be forgiven of his sins and sent to heaven (as evidenced by the
fact that Old Hamlet's ghost is wandering the grounds of Elisinore, rather than in
heaven with God), so young Hamlet will not give Claudius the same consideration.  He
will, he is saying, kill Claudius


readability="12">

When he is drunk asleep; or in his rage;

Or in the incestuous pleasure of his bed;
At game, a-swearing, or
about some act
That has no relish of salvation in't
Then trip him,
that his heels may kick at heaven,(95)
And that his soul may be as damn'd and
black
As hell, whereto it
goes.



He will kill Claudius
when he is drunk and passed out, or angry, or in bed with his mother, or gambling, or
swearing, or some other thing which has no "relish of salvation in't", and thus make
certain Claudius' soul goes to hell.

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