Hamlet Mortality Quotes Page 1

King Claudius's speech is pretty crafty. He begins by acknowledging Old King Hamlet's death and says it "befitted" the "whole kingdom" to mourn Old Hamlet's loss (emphasis on the past tense.) But, he also asserts that it is "wise" for the "whole kingdom" to move on quickly. Self-interest ("remembrance of ourselves") and self-preservation are both far more important. But why? Well, Claudius, as we will soon learn, is responsible for murdering Old King Hamlet so it's no wonder he wants to sweep the guy's life under the rug. Claudius has also helped himself to Old Hamlet's wife and crown so it's in his best interest if the kingdom moves on and forgets Old Hamlet. This attempt to cut short the process of grief and "remembrance" of the dead has disastrous consequences for young Hamlet, who is told repeatedly to get over his father's death when it seems clear that the prince simply isn't ready to move on.

The Ghost's repeated appearance on the castle battlements suggests that Claudius is wrong when he says the "whole kingdom" has moved on after Old Hamlet's death, wouldn't you say?

Even Hamlet's mother, Queen Gertrude, tells Hamlet to stop grieving for his father. Death, she argues, "tis common." (A few lines later, Claudius will emphasize the point by saying to Hamlet "your father lost a father; / That father lost, lost his.") But, Hamlet will struggle with the loss of his father throughout the play – he's literally haunted. Hamlet will also struggle to come to terms with the fact that "all lives must die."