# King Claudius — Hamlet character guide

> King Claudius in Hamlet by William Shakespeare.

**Role:** major

**Also known as:** King, the King, King Hamlet, King Laertes, King Sweet Gertrude, King Gertrude, King Pretty Ophelia, King A Norman, King Part, King Ay, King Thanks

**First appearance:** 0001-act-i

## Snapshot

Denmark's new king, smooth and watchful, who wears the crown his brother wore and the queen his brother married, and never quite sleeps easy.

## Who they are

Claudius rules with a politician's ease, deploying spies, flattery, and staged encounters to manage his stepson's dangerous moods. He is affectionate to Gertrude, generous to Laertes, and ruthless in private, and his conscience flickers just often enough to make him more than a villain. His need to keep Hamlet contained while keeping his own hands clean sets the court's machinery of surveillance and delay in motion.

## In the story

### [Scene II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/hamlet_se/chapters/act-i-scene-ii)

Delivers a speech justifying his marriage, dispatches ambassadors to Norway, and grants Laertes leave to return to France.

### [Scene II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/hamlet_se/chapters/act-ii-scene-ii)

Welcomes Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, expresses concern over Hamlet's transformation, and agrees to Polonius's plan to investigate Hamlet's madness.

### [Scene I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/hamlet_se/chapters/act-iii-scene-i)

Spies on Hamlet with Polonius; decides to send Hamlet to England; reveals guilt in an aside about his 'painted word'.

### [Scene II: The Mousetrap](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/hamlet_se/chapters/act-iii-scene-ii)

Rises and calls for lights after the poisoning scene, revealing his guilt.

### [Scene III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/hamlet_se/chapters/act-iii-scene-iii)

Reveals his guilt over murdering his brother and struggles with repentance; arranges Hamlet's voyage to England.

### [Scene I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/hamlet_se/chapters/act-iv-scene-i)

Expresses concern over Hamlet's madness and plots to send him to England.

### [Scene III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/hamlet_se/chapters/act-iv-scene-iii)

Plots to send Hamlet to England and secretly orders his execution.

### [Scene V](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/hamlet_se/chapters/act-iv-scene-v)

Attempts to calm Laertes, denies responsibility for Polonius's death, and proposes a formal inquiry.

### [Scene VII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/hamlet_se/chapters/act-iv-scene-vii)

Manipulates Laertes into plotting Hamlet's death, revealing his cunning and guilt.

### [Scene I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/hamlet_se/chapters/act-v-scene-i)

Observes the confrontation and instructs Horatio to watch Hamlet, planning to proceed with his scheme.

### [Scene II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/hamlet_se/chapters/act-v-scene-ii)

Arranges the fencing match and poisons the wine; dies by Hamlet's hand.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/hamlet_se/characters/claudius
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/hamlet_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/hamlet_se/characters