Who Claudius is
Claudius rules Denmark at the royal court in Elsinore, where public ceremony sits alongside concealed motives. He now wears the crown and has married Gertrude, the mother of the grieving Prince Hamlet. The court presents their marriage as a fresh beginning, but Hamlet feels surrounded by betrayal.
What Claudius wants
Claudius works to protect his crown against the danger posed by Hamlet. He wants to discover what lies behind his nephew's strange conduct. Hamlet deliberately uses this behavior to conceal his purpose, making his intentions uncertain to others at court.
Claudius and the others in the story
Claudius is both Hamlet's uncle and the king whom the ghost accuses of murdering Hamlet's father. Hamlet doubts the spirit's trustworthiness, so the accusation becomes something he must test rather than simply accept.
When actors arrive at Elsinore, Hamlet arranges a performance resembling the alleged murder and watches Claudius for a response. Their conflict connects a family's grief and distrust with the wider danger surrounding Denmark's crown.
Questions
Who is Claudius in Hamlet?
Claudius is Denmark's king, Hamlet's uncle, and Gertrude's new husband.
What does Claudius want?
He wants to keep his crown secure and understand Hamlet's troubling behavior.
Why does Hamlet suspect Claudius?
A ghost resembling Hamlet's father accuses Claudius of murder. Hamlet seeks evidence because he is uncertain whether the spirit can be trusted.