Hamlet must remain in Denmark (Hamlet #19)
An accessible read-through of Shakespeare’s Hamlet (Blog 19) (Act 1, Scene 2)
King Claudius continues his very long criticism of Hamlet’s mourning. There is an acute sense that Claudius is taking this opportunity to undermine Hamlet in front of the court and present himself as the wise new ruling monarch.
Fie, ‘tis a fault of heaven,
A fault against the dead, a fault to nature,
To reason most absurd, whose common theme
Is death of fathers, and who still hath cried,
From the first corse till he that died today,
‘This must be so.’
Hamlet’s continued mourning is an insult to the divine, to the dead and to the natural order of things.
Hamlet’s reaction to his father’s death is also an affront to reason (‘to reason most absurd’) since the death of fathers is a common event in life.
‘Still’ means ‘always’, and ‘corse’ means ‘corpse’; ‘the first corse’ is that of Abel, killed by his brother Cain. The biblical reference to fratricide is possibly an unconscious slip on the part of Claudius.
‘This must be so’ refers to the inescapability of natural death. Although we are not meant to know it yet, it is worth pointing out that King Hamlet did not die a natural death, he was killed by Claudius. In light of this, the phrase ‘This must be so’ assumes a more sinister significance, the subtext being: ‘King Hamlet had to died to give way to me.’
We pray you throw to earth
This unprevailing woe, and think of us
As of a father.
Claudius wants Hamlet to give up his mourning and consider him his new father.
‘unprevailing’ means ‘unavailing’ i.e. ‘of no use/pointless’ woe.
For, let the world take note,
You are the most immediate to our throne;
And with no less nobility of love
Than that which dearest father bears his son
Do I impart toward you.
An interesting assertion by King Claudius. Claudius highlights Hamlet as the closest successor. On the one hand this may be a manipulative tactic to ensure Hamlet behaves himself if he does want to assume the throne one day. On the other, it is a subtle power move, reasserting Claudius’ own position as king.
‘Do I impart toward you’ – Claudius adopts the more personal singular pronoun ‘I’ when addressing Hamlet as his son.
‘Than that which dearest father bears his son, Do I impart toward you’ – Claudius bestows as much affection on Hamlet as any father.
For your intent
In going back to school in Wittenberg,
It is most retrograde to our desire;
And, we beseech you, bend you to remain
Here in the cheer and comfort of our eye,
Our chiefest courtier, cousin and our son.
‘Retrograde’ means ‘contrary’. Claudius would like Hamlet to remain at court. ‘Bend you’ means ‘incline yourself’ i.e. give in to my request to remain at court.
Although the request seems loving, there is a hint of control. Hamlet should remain in court so as to remain under Claudius’ watchful eye; ‘comfort of our eye’.