Claudius’ Conflict: Repentance or Indulgence Sophia J. Worth 12th Grade

“When we make a decision we are ‘killing’ our options[...]We are choosing to decide and this feels like a loss.” Business coach Andrew Cussons gave this explanation for “Why People Struggle to Make Decisions.” Shakespeare’s Hamlet heavily preys on this human weakness during the account of Prince Hamlet’s mourning of his father. This flaw is highlighted through the expression of multiple characters’ thoughts; King Claudius has a pronounced role in this theme. Throughout the play Hamlet, Claudius is being pulled in conflicting directions: his virtue being one and his earthly desires being the other; the collision of these desires leaves him paralyzed by overwhelming emotions.

Claudius struggles with his conflicting want for power, because he knows the cost of gaining that power was sin. It is evident that Claudius is torn in the scene of his attempted prayer, crying out, “Pray can I not[...]My stronger guilt defeats my strong intent[...]Like a man to double business bound, I stand in pause[...]and both neglect,” (Shakespeare 3.3.39-44). In this soliloquy, Claudius expresses how divided his feelings are and how this affects him. He is so overcome with guilt, an even stronger feeling than his hunger for power, that he cannot act to...