Introduction
The eternal struggle between good and evil living in the same person is a vital theme of literature. Thus, writers usually create literary doubles to introduce the same ideas and make them more apparent to readers by using unique figures incorporating various qualities and showing readers how they affect the lives and destinies of other people. Such doubles in a text are a meaningful element needed for a better understanding of the main hero and the plot. Thus, in Shakespeare’ play The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, the protagonist, Hamlet, can be opposed to Claudius because of the existence of radically opposite views and values; however, at the same time, these characters possess similar features which demonstrate that good and evil are two sides of the same coin and can coexist within a single person.
Differences
Speaking about Claudius and Hamlet, it is vital to outline the differences between these two characters to understand their roles in the play. The first one is a lustful and conniving king who is obsessed with the idea of power. He appreciates benefits that are linked to his position and wants to save it by using all means available for him. For this reason, he manipulates other characters, lies, and spies on them to remain informed about the current situation. For instance, he asks Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, Hamlet’s old friends, to watch him:
CLAUDIUS. If it will please you / To show us so much gentry and good will / As to expend your time with us awhile, / For the supply and profit of our hope, / Your visitation shall receive such thanks / As fits a king’s remembrance (Act 2, Scene 2, 21-26).
Moreover, he kills his brother because of power issues and the desire to remain the only person with real authority. These acts characterize him as a dishonest and maleficent character who is ready for any actions.
At the same time, Hamlet differs from Claudius in this aspect. He spends time in cogitations and philosophical thoughts about the nature of his life and existence. As the main protagonist of the play, he is juxtaposed to Claudius and is described as a straight and vengeful person who wants justice because of his father’s death. Contrary to the King, he is not obsessed with the idea of power, and he desires the end of his life as it seems senseless:
HAMLET: O, that this too too solid flesh would melt / Thaw and resolve itself into a dew! (Act 1, Scene 2, 133-134).
In such a way, there are multiple differences between these characters, which are vital for a better understanding of their behaviors and the reason why Hamlet acts in a particular way.
Similarities
However, as an example of literary doubles, both Claudius and Hamlet have multiple common features. First of all, they are both ambitious and are ready to manipulate people to achieve their goals. As stated previously, Claudius follows his ambitions, and it is the central motif of all his actions, and he even kills his brother for it:
CLAUDIUS. O, my offence is rank it smells to heaven; / It hath the primal eldest curse upon’t, / A brother’s murder. Pray can I not, / Though inclination be as sharp as will: / My stronger guilt defeats my strong intent. (Act III, Scene 3, 40-45).
This confession shows that betrayal is another tool used by the king to achieve his goals and empower his position. He can easily deceive people close to him and kill them as it helps to preserve the dominant position.
These features are doubled in Hamlet. Being the protagonist of the play, he is also a good manipulator and can betray people. First of all, he makes everyone believe that he is insane as it can make his revenge easier. This manipulation hurts other people and their feelings; however, it is not a serious problem for Hamlet himself. At the same time, Hamlet plays with Ophelia’s feelings, which can also be seen as the act of betrayal. Being sure that Hamlet loves her, the girl is frustrated after the discovery of his real feelings:
HAMLET. You should not have believed me; for virtue/ cannot so inoculate our old stock but we shall relish of it: / I loved you not (Act III, Scene 1, 127-129).
It means that he played with the young woman and made her believe in his madness as it was useful for him and his revenge plans. In such a way, Hamlet possesses multiple features that underline his similarity with Claudius.
Role of Differences and Similarities
Analyzing the differences and similarities in terms of literature doubling, it is possible to assume that both characters should be viewed as representatives of the same ruling dynasty. For this reason, they possess so many similarities and features that prevent readers from perceiving them as positive heroes. Both Hamlet and Claudius incorporate features peculiar to the aristocracy of that period, and there is an opposition of both good and evil in the same person. Claudius demonstrates some signs of regret when thinking about his life:
CLAUDIUS. My words fly up, my thoughts remain below: Words without thoughts never to heaven go (Act III, Scene 3, 102-103).
The lane proves that even the vicious King has some painful feelings about his past. It means that bad and good features are mixed within a single person because life is a complex phenomenon, and people cannot see the world in black or white colors, as there are always various shades.
From another hand, Hamlet, along with his positive qualities and the role of a protagonist, has numerous negative aspects that indicate the complexity of his nature. For instance, he kills Polonius with no regret:
HAMLET. Thou wretched, rash, intruding fool, farewell! / I took thee for thy better: take thy fortune; / Thou find’st to be too busy is some danger (Act III, Scene 4, 38-39).
The lines show that Hamlet is also not perfect and represents another side of human nature, which can be evil and spoiled.
Conclusion
Altogether, the play “The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark” demonstrates a perfect example of literary doubles. Hamlet and his uncle, King Claudius, can be viewed as a protagonist and antagonist of the play correspondingly. They are different in their desires and moral values. However, at the same time, they also have many similar features such as ambitions, the readiness to manipulate and use any means to achieve their goals, including murder. In such a way, the existence of these characters helps to understand how good and evil qualities are combined within human beings and that their nature is a complex phenomenon that cannot be completely realized. Every individual is a battlefield between good and evil, while the attitude is greatly preconditioned by the perspective on certain events. For this reason, by introducing this pair, Shakespeare helps readers to realize this idea.