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How did King Hamlet Die?

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In the famous play by Shakespeare, King Hamlet dies at the hands of his envious brother – Claudius. Being not the only child in the family, Claudius does not have much power. This makes him jealous of his brother – the King of Denmark. Thus, he decides to kill him to become a ruler. The villain poisons King Hamlet and takes his place on the throne.

Detailed answer:

Shakespeare’s play Hamlet starts with tragic news – the King of Denmark died. The death was unexpected and held a lot of secrets. Nobody knew the reason for King Hamlet’s death; nobody witnessed it. Thus, there are a lot of intrigues around this event.

Hamlet, the King’s son, is frustrated about his father’s demise. His pain increases even more when he learns other shocking news. It turns out that his mother, Gertrude, marries Claudius very soon after his father’s death. Hamlet is lost in his thoughts. Yet even in his frustrated state, he soon figures out why King Hamlet has been killed.

One day, his father’s ghost appears in front of Hamlet and tells him the detailed story. He claims that Claudius is a dangerous murderer who is seeking to gain power and authority.

Thus, jealous Claudius decided to get rid of his brother by poisoning him. The villain poured the poison into his ear, which instantly killed him. While talking to Hamlet, the ghost asks the Prince to avenge him and establish justice.

After this conversation, Hamlet gets confused. On the one hand, he knows who the real murderer is. On the other hand, he has no real evidence. The only proof he has is his interaction with the ghost, an unreliable witness. Feeling anxiety and lack of support, Hamlet gets completely lost. His frustration reaches its peak when he gives his famous monologue To be or not to be.

Hamlet’s inner conflict eats him from the inside, as he cannot put up with his father’s demise. The play ends tragically for Hamlet. He dies, stabbed with the poisoned sword.

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IvyPanda. 2024. "How did King Hamlet Die?" August 20, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/q/how-did-king-hamlet-die/.

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IvyPanda. "How did King Hamlet Die?" August 20, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/q/how-did-king-hamlet-die/.