Hamlet feels guilty because he has not done anything to
avenge his father's death. In act II scene ii Hamlet reveals the fact that he is upset
with himself because he has not taken action. Hamlet calls himself, "a peasant slave"
and questions, "What's Hecuba to him, or he to Hecuba, That he should weep for her? What
would he do, Had he motive and cue for passion That I have?" (529, 538-541). The actor
is able to cry on cue when telling the story of Hecuba to entertain the court, but
Hamlet still has not done anything to avenge his father's death. He is incredibly upset
with himself. At the end of the scene he comes up with a plan to use the play,
The Mouse Trap, to "catch the conscious of the King" (II, ii, 586).
He is going to use the king's reaction to the scene in the play that is similar to how
Claudius killed King Hamlet to see if Claudius is guilty. At this point Hamlet is using
the guilt to come up with a plan and find out if the ghost is really telling the
truth.
Claudius expresses his guilt in act three scene
three. In his soliloquy, while praying, Claudius admits to his crime, but doesn't have
what it takes to come forward and ask for forgiveness because he is greedy. When he
first begins to pray, he says, "O, my offence is rank, it smells to Heaven; It hath the
primal eldest curse upon't, A brother's murder!" (III, iii, 39-41). He admits to killing
his brother, and he seems to have guilt over the killing. However, later in the prayer
he states, "O, what form of prayer Can serve my turn? 'Forgive me my foul murder?' That
cannot be; since I am still possess'd Of those effects for which I did the murder --My
crown, mine own ambition, and my queen" (III, iii, 55-58). Claudius is sorry, but he is
not sorry enough to give back what he has been able to obtain after the murder -his
wife/the queen, the crown and his power. The king is guilty, but his greed overcomes his
guilt.
Finally, in act III scene iv Hamlet confronts his
mother, the queen, and she expresses guilt over her quick decision to marry Claudius. At
first the queen tells Hamlet, "Hamlet, thou hast thy father much offended" (father
meaning Claudius). Hamlet replies, "Mother, you have my father much offended" (meaning
King Hamlet) (III.iv. 9-10). After accidentallykilling Polonius, who he thinks is
Claudius snooping behind the curtain, Hamlet yells at his mother and shows her a picture
of his late father to make her feel guilty. After getting upset with Hamlet's words,
Gertrude states, ""O Hamlet, speak no more! Thou tern'st mine eyes into my very soul,
And there I see such black and grained spots" (III, iv. 95-97). This quote supports the
fact that Hamlet's words have reached Gertrude and that she does feel guilty for
marrying Claudius so quickly.
Claudius is the one who
commits the first act, the murder of King Hamlet, and for the most part he seems to be
okay with keeping his sin to himself. He expresses his guilt when he is alone and
praying, but he is not willing to share his crime with anyone else. He wants to keep
Hamlet close, so he can watch over him. He is also lying to Gertrude. Gertrude begins to
feel some guilt for marrying so quickly and hurting her son, but she doesn't seem to
know that Claudius is responsble for killing her late husband. Hamlet seems to want to
avenge his father's death, but he feels guilty for not doing anything, and he seems to
be looking for the perfect opportunity to get revenge. (perhaps his
flaw).
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