Question

hamlet
by william shakespeare

act 4, scene 3

shakespeares play hamlet is one of his most famous tragedies. hamlet, a young prince in denmark, learns of his fathers death and his mothers marriage to his uncle, king claudius, the brother of his deceased father. during the play, he pretends to be insane, while contemplating life, death, and revenge. in this scene, king claudius questions hamlet as to the whereabouts of polonius, whom hamlet accidentally killed earlier.

another room in the castle.

(enter king claudius, attended)

king claudius: i have sent to seek him, and to find the body.
how dangerous is it that this man goes loose!
yet must not we put the strong law on him:
hes loved of the distracted multitude,
who like not in their judgment, but their eyes:
and where tis so, the offenders scourge is weighd,
but never the offence. to bear all smooth and even,
this sudden sending him away must seem
deliberate pause: diseases desperate grown
by desperate appliance are relieved.

select the correct answer from the drop-down menu.

which answer choice offers the best description of the relationship between hamlet and king claudius?

hamlet and king claudius choose an answer

• have a strong bond of kinship
• dislike and distrust each other
• consider each other allies
• believe the other is irrational

Explanation:

Analyze the relationship between Hamlet and King Claudius

The introductory text and play context from Shakespeare's Hamlet establish that Hamlet is contemplating revenge against his uncle, King Claudius, who married Hamlet's mother after his father's death. Claudius views Hamlet as highly dangerous ("How dangerous is it that this man goes loose!"), while Hamlet pretends to be insane to plot against him.

Evaluate the drop-down options

• "have a strong bond of kinship": Incorrect, as they are bitter enemies despite being uncle and nephew/stepson.
• "dislike and distrust each other": Correct, as Claudius fears Hamlet's instability and threat to his throne, while Hamlet seeks vengeance against Claudius for murdering his father.
• "consider each other allies": Incorrect, they are primary antagonists.
• "believe the other is irrational": Incorrect, Claudius recognizes Hamlet's danger as a calculated threat rather than mere irrationality, and Hamlet knows Claudius is a calculating murderer.

Answer:

Which answer choice offers the best description of the relationship between Hamlet and King Claudius?

Hamlet and King Claudius <blank>dislike and distrust each other</blank>.