In the famous play Hamlet, by William Shakespeare, the title character conveys his suspicion of his uncle, King Claudius, in several ways. One of the most prominent is through his dialogue with his mother, Queen Gertrude. In a particular excerpt from the play, Hamlet expresses his intention to “tent” Claudius “to the quick,” implying that he intends to dig into the depths of Claudius’ soul in order to either validate or refute his suspicions. This excerpt gives us insight into how Hamlet views Claudius, and ultimately supports the conclusion that Claudius is not a popular or beloved ruler.
The excerpt in question is from Act III, Scene IV of the play. In this scene, Hamlet is alone with his mother, and she informs him that Claudius has instructed her to speak with him. Hamlet states, “I’ll observe his looks; I’ll tent him to the quick: If he but blench, I know my course.” In this line, Hamlet reveals his plan to closely observe Claudius’ behavior and reactions in order to determine the truth about him. The word “blench” means to flinch, recoil, or shy away, strongly implying that Hamlet believes Claudius will have something to hide. This indicates that Claudius is not popular, as people with positive public opinions tend to be open and honest, while those with negative opinions tend to be more guarded and suspicious.
In addition to this, Hamlet goes on to say, “The spirit that I have seen may be the devil: and the devil hath power to assume a pleasing shape.” This adds to the suspicion by suggesting that the spirit (likely referring to his father’s ghost) that Hamlet saw may have been a malicious entity, and that Hamlet does not trust Claudius enough to believe that it was what it claimed to be. This suggests that not only does Hamlet believe Claudius is not trustworthy, but that the wider public likely shares this sentiment.
Ultimately, the excerpt from Hamlet supports the conclusion that Claudius is not a popular or beloved ruler. Through his words, Hamlet reveals his suspicions of Claudius, indicating that the public likely does not have a positive view of him. This ultimately leads to Hamlet’s eventual conclusion that Claudius is the murderer of his father, King Hamlet.