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"Hamlet Translation | Shakescleare, By Litcharts". Litcharts, 2020,       https://www.litcharts.com/shakescleare/shakespeare-translations/hamlet.

"Hamlet: Study Guide | Sparknotes". Sparknotes.Com, 2020,     https://www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/hamlet/.

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Claudius is manipulative, corrupt, organised and intelligent. One of the first things the character does is marry his deceased brothers wife, Queen Gertrude, which is already a red flag that he has questionable morals

CLAUDIUS
But now, my cousin Hamlet, and my son—
HAMLET
[aside] A little more than kin and less than kind.
Act 1, Scene 2, Line 67

Hamlet for one has disdain for Claudius for being in an incestuous relationship, and corrupting Gertrude along with him.

For what we know must be and is as common
As any the most vulgar thing to sense,
Why should we in our peevish opposition
Take it to heart? Fie! ‘Tis a fault to heaven,
A fault against the dead, a fault to nature,
To reason most absurd, whose common theme
Is death of fathers, and who still hath cried,
From the first corse till he that died today,
“This must be so.
Act 1, Scene 2, Line 101

In response to Hamlet's continued mourning, Claudius tells him to grow up already and move on. It's no surprise he would want people to stop talking about King Hamlet, he murdered him and knows the faster his victim is forgotten the sooner he is in the clear and unlikely to be caught. What he doesn't count on is a ghost coming from the dead to expose him.

CLAUDIUS
Oh, 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,
And, like a man to double business bound,
I stand in pause where I shall first begin,
And both neglect. What if this cursèd hand
Were thicker than itself with brother’s blood?
Is there not rain enough in the sweet heavens
To wash it white as snow? Whereto serves mercy
But to confront the visage of offence?
And what’s in prayer but this twofold force,
To be forestallèd ere we come to fall
Or pardoned being down? Then I’ll look up.
My fault is past. But oh, what form of prayer
Can serve my turn, “Forgive me my foul murder?”
That cannot be, since I am still possessed
Of those effects for which I did the murder:
My crown, mine own ambition, and my queen.
May one be pardoned and retain th’ offense?
Act 3, Scene 3, Line 39

When he sees a play that reminds him of his sin, he goes to pray for mercy. He seeks forgiveness but doubts whether it will work because he cannot make up for it and he still keeps the benefits of his crime. It is possible that he does not actually feel guilt but is just afraid of the consequences of the afterlife.
Claudius likes to orchestrate meetings and events to achieve his goals without directly showing his involvement. This could be perceived as either stealthy and smart, or as cowardly. For example, when he wants to get rid of Hamlet, instead of publicly punishing or executing him, he send him to England. There, a letter awaits with instructions for Hamlet to be killed upon arrival.

CLAUDIUS
And, England, if my love thou hold’st at aught—
As my great power thereof may give thee sense,
Since yet thy cicatrice looks raw and red
After the Danish sword and thy free awe
Pays homage to us — thou mayst not coldly set
Our sovereign process, which imports at full,
By letters congruing to that effect,
The present death of Hamlet. Do it, England,
For like the hectic in my blood he rages,
And thou must cure me. Till I know ’tis done,
Howe’er my haps, my joys were ne’er begun.
Act 4, Scene 3, Line 61

He doesn't tell Hamlet his real plan, obviously, but he doesn't even tell the King of England. Claudius is trying to distance the murders as much as he can from himself. If the public discovered it was murder, Hamlet would be a martyr and Claudius would be persecuted. He is disposing of Hamlet in a smart, cautious way.

I will do ’t.
And for that purpose I’ll anoint my sword.
I bought an unction of a mountebank,
So mortal that, but dip a knife in it,
Where it draws blood no cataplasm so rare,
Collected from all simples that have virtue
Under the moon, can save the thing from death
That is but scratched withal. I’ll touch my point
With this contagion, that if I gall him slightly
It may be death.
CLAUDIUS
Let’s further think of this,
Weigh what convenience both of time and means
May fit us to our shape. If this should fail,
And that our drift look through our bad performance,
‘Twere better not assayed. Therefore this project
Should have a back or second that might hold
If this should blast in proof.—Soft, let me see.—
We’ll make a solemn wager on your cunnings.—
I ha ’t! When in your motion you are hot and dry,
As make your bouts more violent to that end,
And that he calls for drink, I’ll have prepared him
A chalice for the nonce, whereon but sipping,
If he by chance escape your venomed stuck,
Our purpose may hold there
Act 4, Scene 7, Line 156

Claudius' plan is thorough, with not only the poison sword but with the poisoned drink as backup, Hamlet's death is certain. But this backfires on him, there's so much poison that mistakenly, Laertes and Gertrude also touch it. And when Hamlet learns the truth, he intentionally uses the excess to poison Claudius. Claudius' planning and treachery grants him great success and power, but only shortly and ultimately leads to the untimely death of his whole family and more.

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HAMLET
“Seems,” madam? Nay, it is. I know not “seems.”'
Tis not alone my inky cloak, good mother,
Nor customary suits of solemn black,
Nor windy suspiration of forced breath,
No, nor the fruitful river in the eye,
Nor the dejected 'havior of the visage,
Together with all forms, moods, shapes of grief,
That can denote me truly.
These indeed “seem,”
For they are actions that a man might play. But I have that within which passeth show,
These but the trappings and the suits of woe.
Act 1, Scene 2 , Line 79

At the start of the play, Hamlet is mourning deeply over his father, the late King Hamlet. He had been dead for two months, Hamlet took it very hard and is still grieving, despite the rest of his family moving on quickly, and telling him to get over it. He clearly had a very strong father/son relationship.

'Swounds, I should take it, for it cannot be
But I am pigeon-livered and lack gall
To make oppression bitter, or ere this
I should have fatted all the region kites
With this slave’s offal. Bloody, bawdy villain!
Remorseless, treacherous, lecherous, kindless villain!
O vengeance!
Why, what an ass am I! This is most brave,
That I, the son of a dear father murdered,
Prompted to my revenge by heaven and hell,
Must, like a whore, unpack my heart with words
And fall a-cursing like a very drab,
A scullion! Fie upon ’t, foh!
About, my brain.—Hum, I have heard
That guilty creatures sitting at a play
Have, by the very cunning of the scene,
Been struck so to the soul that presently
They have proclaimed their malefactions.
For murder, though it have no tongue, will speak
With most miraculous organ. I’ll have these players
Play something like the murder of my father
Before mine uncle. I’ll observe his looks.
I’ll tent him to the quick. If he do blench,
I know my course.
Act 2, Scene 2 , Line 579

Hamlet has a lot of inner conflict, he spends a lot of time asking himself philosophical and often depressing questions. He's also generally distrusting and resentful towards the people around him, as he fears many could betray him. In this soliloquy, in act 2, he vents about his fear and cowardice. He wants revenge for his beloved father, but is still a mess, shouting and cussing instead of taking action, and beating himself up about how he's handling it.When he does take action, he directs it towards bad decisions, like scolding his mother, when he was told to leave her be. Hamlet devises a plan to recreate his fathers death in a play, he is untrusting of Claudius and will see if he reveals his own guilt. Hamlet has given himself a purpose, something to work towards.

To be, or not to be? That is the question—
Whether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,
Or to take arms against a sea of troubles,
And, by opposing, end them? To die, to sleep—
Act 3, Scene 1, Line 65

Even now that he has a drive, Hamlet is still indecisive. He overthinks, wondering what should he do and as a result he displays a lot of inaction. Sometimes after a while of constant hesitance, he bursts into a big impulsive action. He wonders if it's better just to die and end his turmoil or if there is nobility in living through the pain.

HAMLET
Here, thou incestuous, murderous, damned Dane,Drink off this potion. Is thy union here?Follow my mother.
HAMLET forces CLAUDIUS to drink CLAUDIUS dies.
LAERTES
He is justly served.It is a poison tempered by himself.
Exchange forgiveness with me, noble Hamlet.
Mine and my father’s death come not upon thee,
Nor thine on me. (dies)
HAMLET
Heaven make thee free of it. I follow thee.—I am dead, Horatio.—Wretched queen, adieu!—You that look pale and tremble at this chance,
That are but mutes or audience to this act,
Had I but time (as this fell sergeant, Death,Is strict in his arrest), O, I could tell you—But let it be.—Horatio, I am dead.
Thou livest. Report me and my cause aright
To the unsatisfied.
Act 5, Scene 2, Line 346

Although the play is indeed a tragedy, Hamlet himself had a satisfying death. He faced a few major conflicts; his fathers death,  his foil Laertes, his shame with his kingdom, and his pain of philosophy and existentialism. In death, he found closure with all these issues and thus he found peace. He avenged his father by killing Claudius. He forgave and received forgiveness from Laertes, his foil. They realize they have a lot in common and find solidarity in each others tragedy. He appointed a new leader for his country, not tainted by the family tragedy and had Horatio tell everyone the truth, ending the lies and secrecy. Finally, death itself is somewhat of a release for Hamlet. He was always worrying about what the right thing is, always in pain and contemplating suicide. In death there is quiet and peace, and he can see his father again. That said, much of the tragedy could have been avoided if he had just let sleeping dogs lie, but then a corrupt king would be in power and he would still have inner conflict.

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Loyalty and Betrayal

HAMLET
Heaven make thee free of it. I follow thee.—
I am dead, Horatio. —Wretched queen, adieu!—
You that look pale and tremble at this chance,
That are but mutes or audience to this act,
Had I but time (as this fell sergeant, Death,
Is strict in his arrest), O, I could tell you—
But let it be. —Horatio, I am dead.
Thou livest. Report me and my cause aright
To the unsatisfied.
HORATIO
Never believe it.
I am more an antique Roman than a Dane.
Here’s yet some liquor left.
[lifts the poisoned cup]
HAMLET
As thou’rt a man,
Give me the cup. Let go! By heaven, I’ll have ’t.
[takes cup from HORATIO]
O God, Horatio, what a wounded name,
Things standing thus unknown, shall live behind me!
If thou didst ever hold me in thy heart
Absent thee from felicity a while,
And in this harsh world draw thy breath in pain
To tell my story.
Act 5, Scene 2, Line 354

On a bright note, there was one relationship that wasn't betrayed in all the drama. Horatio and Hamlet were friends from the beginning and trusted each other completely. Horatio was the only one that Hamlet kept in the loop the entire time, never once betraying him. When Hamlet is dying Horatio considers taking his own life too, without Hamlet he feels too sad to go on. But Hamlet asks that if Horatio really cared about him, he'd stay alive and clear his name. So even in the pain of life, Horatio is loyal and stays to fulfill Hamlets last request.

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Loyalty and Betrayal

LAERTES
Where is my father?
KING
Dead.
QUEEN
But not by him

Gertrude throws Hamlet under the bus. Laertes is clearly ready to avenge his father, even through murder. When presented with the opportunity to protect either Claudius or her own son, she chooses Claudius. Not that it's necessarily a bad choice. As far as she knows, Hamlet is mad. She was being loyal and honest about her husband and loyal to Polonius, not letting him be "avenged" only to see vengeance exacted unto the wrong person.

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Loyalty and Betrayal

HAMLET
I did love you once.
OPHELIA
Indeed, my lord, you made me believe so.
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.
OPHELIA
I was the more deceived.
Act 3, Scene 1, Line 125

Hamlet and Ophelia were together, despite the disapproval of her father. They were in love, but he thought it best to drive a wedge between them, temporarily. Perhaps he felt that she too would betray him because of her family's connections, or maybe he wanted  to keep her safe by keeping her away from him as he enacted his potentially dangerous plan. Whatever the reason, he broke Ophelia's heart and never got the chance to set things right. He told her he didn't love her and ranted about sins, scaring her away. He betrayed her. Her heartbreak contributed to her going insane, mad with grief and she eventually killed herself. The irony is that Polonius thought that Ophelia's rejection of Hamlet was the cause of his madness, when really it was Hamlet's rejection of Ophelia, combined with her own fathers death, that drove her mad.

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Loyalty and Betrayal

HAMLET
But in the beaten way of friendship, what make you at Elsinore?
ROSENCRANTZ
To visit you, my lord, no other occasion.
HAMLET
Beggar that I am, I am even poor in thanks; but I thank you, and sure, dear friends, my thanks are too dear a halfpenny. Were you not sent for? Is it your own inclining? Is it a free visitation? Come, come, deal justly with me. Come, come. Nay, speak.
GUILDENSTERN
What should we say, my lord?
HAMLET
Why, any thing, but to th' purpose. You were sent for, and there is a kind of confession in your looks which your modesties have not craft enough to color. I know the good king and queen have sent for you.
Act 2, Scene 2, Line 279

Two of Hamlets closest friends, Guildenstern and Rosencrantz, have lied to him. They claim they've come to see him only in the name of friendship, just to check in on him. Hamlet, however, sees through them and knows this is a lie. He calls them out, the King and Queen have sent them to spy on him and report back what they discover. To be betrayed not only by your family, which cannot be changed, but by your chosen friends, the people you've known and chosen to place your faith in, is hurtful, and just one of the many instances of betrayal Hamlet will endure.

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End
Hamlet and Horatio come across a gravedigger and they find the skull of  a jester Hamlet once knew. He contemplates death and its inevitability. He sticks around to watch the funeral and discovers it is for Ophelia. Laertes and Hamlet fight, and Hamlet jumps into the grave proclaiming that he loved her the most. Hamlet places his faith in fate. Whatever is meant to happen will happen.
HAMLET

Not a whit. We defy augury. There’s a special providence in the fall of a sparrow. If it be now, ’tis not to come. If it be not to come, it will be now. If it be not now, yet it will come—the readiness is all. Since no man of aught he leaves knows, what is ’t to leave betimes? Let be.
Act 5, Scene 2, Line 220

Later, Laertes challenges Hamlet to a duel. Claudius pours a poisoned chalice meant for Hamlet, but Gertrude drinks it first. Claudius tries to stop her but its too late. At some point during the sword fight, the swords are swapped. Both Hamlet and Laertes have been cut by it. Laertes betrays Claudius and tells everyone it's his fault. In his fury, Hamlet poisons Claudius with both sword and chalice. Before they die, Hamlet and Laertes forgive each other, they have been through similar struggles. Horatio is asked to live and tell the story of this tragedy.

HAMLET
As thou'rt a man,
Give me the cup. Let go! By heaven, I’ll have ’t.
(takes cup from HORATIO)
O God, Horatio, what a wounded name,
Things standing thus unknown, shall live behind me!
If thou didst ever hold me in thy heart
Absent thee from felicity a while,
And in this harsh world draw thy breath in pain
To tell my story.
Act 5, Scene 2, Line 367

Prince Fortinbras comes in and sees all the dead people lying around, and Horatio explains everything. Prince Fortinbras becomes the new king and gives Hamlet an honorable funeral.

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Falling Action
Hamlet continues to act mad, speaking in riddles. Claudius realises he has to be delicate in the way he punishes Hamlet because the public loves him. Laertes returns to Denmark, demanding to know what happened to his father, as people outside chant they Laertes should be king. As he's arguing with Claudius he sees Ophelia, who has gone mad and is always singing. He learns Hamlet was to blame for the death and madness of his family and wants revenge, but Hamlet is still abroad. Once he returns, Claudius and Laertes plot to poison him.

LAERTES
Ay, my lord—So you will not o'errule me to a peace.
CLAUDIUS
To thine own peace. If he be now returned,
As checking at his voyage, and that he means
No more to undertake it, I will work him
To an exploit, now ripe in my devise,
Under the which he shall not choose but fall.
And for his death no wind of blame shall breathe,
But even his mother shall uncharge the practice
And call it accident.
Act 4, Scene 7, Line 67

Laertes believes that violent revenge will bring peace of mind. They dip a sword in poison and put poison in a cup, and set up a sword match to lure Hamlet in. It's revealed that Ophelia killed herself.

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Climax
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern report that they do not know the cause of Hamlet's madness. Claudius stages a meeting between Hamlet and Ophelia to see if it's due to unrequited love, and Hamlet insults her and says he doesn't love her anymore. Before the play, Hamlet asks Horatio to help watch Claudius for signs of guilt. The play depicts almost exactly the real life situation, so Claudius gets flustered and leaves. Hamlet deems this enough evidence to exact his revenge, but decides not to kill Claudius yet.

HAMLET
Now might I do it pat, now he is praying; And now I'll do't. And so he goes to heaven; And so am I revenged. That would be scann'd: A villain kills my father; and for that, I, his sole son, do this same villain send To heaven.
Act 3, Scene 3, Line 77

King Claudius is praying for forgiveness, he does feel remorseful. While he's focused on this, Hamlet could kill him but decides against it as he may be forgiven in the afterlife. Hamlet chooses to wait until Claudius is being sinful again so that he goes to hell.

Claudius wants to get rid of Hamlet and plans to send him off to England. Hamlet scolds his mother for marrying Claudius and accidentally kills Polonius, who was spying on them. The ghost of King Hamlet comes back to tell Hamlet to focus on the murder and leave Gertrude alone.

GHOST
Do not forget. This visitation
Is but to whet thy almost blunted purpose.
But look, amazement on thy mother sits.
O, step between her and her fighting soul.
Act 3, Scene 4, Line 123

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Rising Action

Polonius sends a spy on his son, Laertes, to ask around and see what he is up to. Hamlet starts acting mad, speaking strangely and acting irrationally, if he is mad he will be dismissed as a threat and he will be able to execute his plan.

POLONIUS
(aside) How say you by that? Still harping on my daughter. Yet he knew me not at first. He said I was a fishmonger. He is far gone, far gone.
Act 2, Scene 2, Line 200

His "madness" gets concern from those around him, Claudius and Gertrude send spies to see what's wrong with Hamlet.  Polonius believes his madness is coming from Ophelia's rejection (which Polonius demanded of her,) and the King and Queen believe it was caused by their family.

CLAUDIUS
Thyself do grace to them, and bring them in.
Exit POLONIUS                  He tells me, my dear Gertrude, he hath found The head and source of all your son’s distemper.   GERTRUDE I doubt it is no other but the main:
His father’s death and our o'erhasty marriage.
Act 2, Scene 2, Line 56

Some performers come to the castle to put on a play, and Hamlet asks them to play out a very specific scene, reminiscent of the way he believes Claudius killed King Hamlet. If Claudius reacts, it will be proof of guilt.

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Inciting Incident
Some guards see the ghost of the late King Hamlet of Denmark. Currently, the throne is taken by the brother of the ghost, King Claudius. King Hamlets son, Prince Hamlet, is still in mourning and appalled with his uncle for disrupting the family by marrying his mother. Hamlet goes to see the ghost of his father himself.

My father’s spirit in arms. All is not well.
I doubt some foul play. Would the night were come!
Till then sit still, my soul. Foul deeds will rise,
Though all the earth o'erwhelm them, to men’s eyes.
Act 1, Scene 2, Line 275

From the moment they saw the ghost dressed in armor, they knew something was amiss. Hamlet predicts many horrible acts will be revealed.

Brief let me be. Sleeping within my orchard,
My custom always of the afternoon,
Upon my secure hour thy uncle stole
With juice of cursed hebenon in a vial,
And in the porches of my ears did pour
The leperous distilment, whose effect
Holds such an enmity with blood of man
That swift as quicksilver it courses through
The natural gates and alleys of the body
And with a sudden vigor doth posset
And curd, like eager droppings into milk,
The thin and wholesome blood. So did it mine.
Act 1, Scene 5, Line 65

Hamlet learns that he was poisoned by Claudius. Hamlet vows revenge, but first decides to set a plan to incite a confession out of Claudius to verify the story. In Norway, prince Fortinbras plans an attack of Denmark.

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Loyalty and Betrayal

HAMLET
within a month—
Let me not think on ’t. Frailty, thy name is woman!—
A little month, or ere those shoes were old
With which she followed my poor father’s body,
Like Niobe, all tears. Why she, even she—
O God, a beast that wants discourse of reason
Would have mourned longer!—married with my uncle,
Act 1, Scene 2, Line 149

The first betrayal seen in the play is that of the relationships within the royal family. Hamlet is upset at the disruption his uncle Claudius has caused in his family. Taken not only the throne of Hamlets father but even married his sister in law, the Queen, Hamlets mother. Hamlet feels that they both have been disloyal to his father by this change.  He believes Claudius is unworthy of the throne, it's an injustice to Denmark that a beast like him has taken the role of a good man like his father, and it's a personal slap in the face that he married his own brothers wife. Everyone seems to move on quickly and replace Hamlets father, professionally and personally, but Hamlet stays loyal to him even in death.