If Claudius’ Death Did Happen
When Gertrude asks Hamlet what he has done he responds with “Nay, I know not. Is it the king?” (Shakespeare, III.iv.27). Hamlet was not sure if it was the king but wanted to kill Claudius and get revenge so he killed the man behind the tapestry. He wanted to kill the “evil” one who killed his father and even though he wasn’t sure of whom it was he still did it because he wanted to try every chance he got to kill Claudius.
While accidently killing Polonius, Hamlet says “How now, a rat? Dead for a ducat, dead!” (Shakespeare, III.iv.24). Hamlet heard someone cry from behind the tapestry and acted fast thinking it was the king, while he was killing the “unknown” person he asked what’s this, a rat? And then went on and said he’s a dead rat now still thinking it was the king. Polonius was in the wrong place at the wrong time.
After Polonius is dead, Ophelia seems to have gone insane. She goes to see the queen and begins to sing a song, “He is dead and gone, lady, / He is dead and gone, / At his head a grass-green turf, / At his heels a stone.” (Shakespeare, IV.v.28-31). Ophelia begins to sing a song that states that her father is dead and that at his head there is a patch of grass, and at his feet there is a tomb stone. She seems to be going through a rough time and clearly seems to be going insane.
At the end of Act IV, Ophelia had committed suicide. Gertrude tells Laertes how she drowned, “Her clothes spread wide, / And mermaid-like a while they bore her up, / Which time she chanted snatched of old lauds/ As one incapable of her own distress, / Or like a creature native and indued/ Unto that element.”(Shakespeare, IV.vii. 174-179). This quote can indicate some imagery by saying that her clothes spread out in the water and buoyed her up for a while she sang parts of hymns, acting like someone who doesn’t realize the danger she is in or like someone completely accused to danger. Ophelia had gone insane and did not care...