Claudius Quotes

There’s such divinity doth hedge a king,
That treason can but peep to what it would.

– William Shakespeare

Hamlet, Act 4, Scene 5. Claudius to Gertrude, saying that God provides protection for a king like a fence, and traitors can only peer through it but cannot harm the King. Claudius’ hypocrisy in voicing the ideology of the divinity of kings when he himself has slaughtered God’s annointed, his brother King Hamlet, marks him out as a particularly evil Machiavellian Shakespearean monarch.

The other motive,
Why to a public count I might not go,
Is the great love the general gender bear him;
Who, dipping all his faults in their affection,
Would, like the spring that turneth wood to stone,
Convert his gyves to graces.

– William Shakespeare

Hamlet, Act 4, Scene 7. Claudius admits he could not bring charges against Hamlet in a public court for killing Polonius because of the common people’s love for Hamlet. He compares it to a magical spring that can turn wood to stone, so that the people would somehow see his faults as virtues.

Laertes, was your father dear to you?
Or are you like the painting of a sorrow,
A face without a heart?

– William Shakespeare

Hamlet, Act 4, Scene 7. Claudius to Laertes, who has returned from Paris on news of his father Polonius’ death. The King is trying to manipulate Laertes into killing Hamlet for him. He is daring him to be man enough to revenge his father’s death, casting doubt on whether his grief is real or just a show. The two-faced Claudius is pretending to be the bereaved young man’s friend, while pouring poison into his ear.

The king, sir, hath wagered with him six Barbary horses: against the which he has imponed, as I take it, six French rapiers and poniards, with their assigns, as girdle, hangers, and so: three of the carriages, in faith, are very dear to fancy, very responsive to the hilts, most delicate carriages, and of very liberal conceit.

– William Shakespeare

Hamlet, Act 5, Scene 2. Osric tells Hamlet that the King wants Hamlet to fence with Laertes and he has made a wager with Laertes that Hamlet will win. The King has bet six horses against six French rapiers and poniards.

The king, sir, hath laid, that in a dozen passes between yourself and him, he shall not exceed you three hits: he hath laid on twelve for nine; and it would come to immediate trial, if your lordship would vouchsafe the answer.

– William Shakespeare

Hamlet, Act 5, Scene 2. Osric lies to Hamlet about the fight proposal with Laertes. He outlines the odds, the King has bet that in a dozen rounds between Hamlet and Laertes, Laertes won’t beat Hamlet by more than three hits. What he leaves out is that Laertes’ sword will be unbated and poisoned.

Stay, give me drink. Hamlet, this pearl is thine;
Here’s to thy health.

– William Shakespeare

Hamlet, Act 5, Scene 2. Claudius wants to make doubly certain that Hamlet dies. If Laertes’ poisoned sword fails to do the job, Claudius has a cup of wine containing a pearl for him. Claudius places the pearl in the cup ostensibly to show his faith in Hamlet’s ability to win and to reward his stepson. But the "gift" is not what it appears, and is a poisoned pearl. However, Hamlet refuses the wine, wishing to remain clear-headed for the duel with Laertes.

GERTRUDE: Here, Hamlet, take my napkin; rub thy brows.
The queen carouses to thy fortune, Hamlet. [She lifts the cup.]
HAMLET: Good madam.
CLAUDIUS: Gertrude, do not drink.
GERTRUDE: I will, my lord; I pray you pardon me. [She drinks.]
CLAUDIUS [aside] It is the poisoned cup. It is too late.
HAMLET: I dare not drink yet, madam – by and by.
GERTRUDE: Come, let me wipe thy face.

– William Shakespeare

Hamlet, Act 5, Scene 2. Gertrude drinks the cup of poisoned wine that Claudius has prepared for Hamlet, presumably to save her son from certain death. In a motherly gesture Gertrude also wipes the sweat from her son’s brow. In a terrible irony Claudius’ deceiving nature has killed his wife, after Gertrude’s love and loyalty were tested and torn throughout now her husband, in a botched attempt to kill her son, has killed her.
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