Honesty in Hamlet: A Study of Characters' Integrity

This academic essay explores the theme of honesty in Shakespeare's play Hamlet, analyzing the characters of Hamlet, Claudius, and Horatio. The essay discusses how Hamlet's honesty and integrity are demonstrated throughout the play, while Claudius is portrayed as an immoral and dishonest character. Horatio is also examined as a loyal and honest friend to Hamlet.

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Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................2
Honesty: A Factor............................................................................................................................2
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................4
References........................................................................................................................................6

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Introduction
In the play named “Hamlet”, prince hamlet took revenge of his father’s death from his
uncle “Claudius”, who was brother of Hamlet’s father and later on got married to Hamlet’s
mother “Gertrude” (Cliffsnotes, 2018). In order to take the said revenge, Hamlet killed some
people throughout the play and lastly killed Claudius but while doing this he remained honest
almost every time. Hamlet did not have any wrongful intentions and he did not give
unreasonable pain to any character of the play. There were also some other characters like
Horatio, best friend of Hamlet, who performed their role with integrity, goodness and honesty.
Whereas some characters likes Claudius behaved as an evil (Bartleby, 2018).
Honesty: A Factor
Hamlet is the main character of the play who behaved honestly and shown his integrity
throughout the play. Hamlet was a prince and for this reason the same had extensive powers but
still he did not use those powers in an inappropriate manner against any of the person. Hamlet
was close to his father and for this reason when he has come to know about his death, he become
so sad. Later on when he has come to know about the fact that his mother already re-married to
his uncle Claudius, he suspects that Claudius must killed his father. One day his father’s ghost
visited Hamlet and said that he was murdered by Claudius. Even after hear this from the ghost,
Hamlet did not lose his temper and decided to confirm the facts first. Here, Hamlet has shown
his honesty (Thompson, 2011). He could directly killed Claudius but he first confirmed the
saying of ghost by creating a drama in palace. Further, “Polonius” was the Lord Chamberlain of
Claudius’s court. Hamlet was in love with Polonius’s daughter Ophelia. Many of the times

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Polonius being a man of trickery never allowed and accepted love of these two. He offered
hamlet to loose Ophelia in exchange to provide some political gain to hamlet. Hamlet, being
loyal and honest to the girl he love, neglected the offer. By doing this, again he proved that the
integrity was the main feature of his character (Free Book Summary, 2018). In addition to this
hamlet behaved like a mad person in order to make everyone believed that he has lost his sense
and has no control over his thinking. His act made Ophelia sad. She tried her best to manage the
things in between her father Polonius and the man she was in love i.e. hamlet, but could not
continue the same and died. Claudius even had taken benefit of her and his father’s death. He
called Ophelia’s brother “Laertes” and incited him to kill hamlet He informed Laertes that
hamlet is the reason of his father and sister’s death. Claudius planned a fight in between hamlet
and Laertes and instructed Laertes to mark a cross on hamlet’s body with his sword, on which
Claudius already put poison. In this situation also, hamlet was fighting with full of honestly
without doing any cheating with Laertes and after that he killed Laertes with his expertise and
intelligence. He did not have chosen any wrong or unethical way to concur his fight. Although,
during the play he did some task which can be treated as dishonesty but in an overall view
hamlet was the honest and trustworthy person.
Claudius was the immoral person. Throughout the play, he seems to do many of the task
from which his negative personality has reflected. At the very beginning of the story, he killed
his brother who was hamlet’s father and declared his death as an accident. By doing this he
proved that he was such a villain. He not only killed his brother but also married his wife and
become step father of hamlet. He also declared himself as king irrespective the fact that prince
hamlet was entitled for the same (Cram, 2011). Further, in the story Claudius again proved that
he was a dishonest man by inciting Laertes inappropriately about his father’s death. He declared

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a fancy battle in between hamlet and Laertes and also put poison on the point of Laertes sword in
order to plan murder of hamlet. During the said battle he offered a drink to hamlet for the
purpose of getting energy but the said drink was actually poison which has later come into light
when hamlet’s mother got faint by drinking the same. During the whole play, Claudius only and
only behaved unethically and trickery (Davies, 2008).
Here it is also important to study the character of “Horatio” who was Hamlet’s close
friend. Horatio was with hamlet in every bad condition. He was also guided hamlet whenever he
required him to do so throughout the story. When Hamlet first time met the ghost Horatio has
clearly said to him that his choice to follow the ghost to know the reason of it is appearance is
foolish. He was honest in his sayings (shakespeare-online, 2018). Further, when Hamlet and
Horatio has found the true reason of death of Hamlet’s father, Horatio promised Hamlet to keep
his words silent and did the same. Here by not sharing this to anyone, he proved his honesty
towards Hamlet. In the end of the play when Hamlet was on his death bed, Horatio presented his
wish to come along as he was deeply sad by the fact that hamlet is going to die soon
(Williamson, 2013). It may stipulate that Horatio was an honest and sensible personality in
studied play.
Conclusion
To conclude the aforesaid discussion and the topic of honesty in Hamlet, it may state that
Hamlet was an honest man. Although in order to take revenge of his father’s death, he has killed
many of others, yet he was a person having integrity in his personality as he never misused his
position being a prince. At sometimes he lacks his honesty but in conclusion he has used his
brain and behaved accordingly in an appropriate manner. Whereas, Claudius seems to be one of

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the worst king of history. He did many of the unethical tasks and element of honesty was not
even in touch with his personality. Further, Horatio, close friend of Hamlet behaved honestly
every time and even in the last scene of play he proved his loyalty towards his friend Hamlet.

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References
Bartleby. (2018). Claudius as Evil in Hamlet by William Shakespeare Essay. Retrieved From:
https://www.bartleby.com/essay/Claudius-as-Evil-in-Hamlet-by-William-PKJKZQWZVJ
Cliffsnotes, (2018). Play Summary. Retrieved From:
https://www.cliffsnotes.com/literature/h/hamlet/play-summary
Cram. (2011) Claudius: Politics vs Immorality Essay. Retrieved From:
https://www.cram.com/essay/Claudius-Politics-Vs-Immorality/F3MXLHKXC
Davies, M. (2008) Hamlet: Character Studies. London: Continumm.
Free Book Summary. (2018). Shakespeare’s “Hamlet”: Looking at Integrity. Retrieved From:
https://freebooksummary.com/shakespeares-hamlet-looking-at-integrity-30067
shakespeare-online. (2018). Introduction to Horatio in Hamlet. Retrieved From:
http://www.shakespeare-online.com/plays/hamlet/horatiocharacter.html
Thompson, H. (2011). Hamlet on Integrity. Retrieved From:
https://prezi.com/owngii1fwoqv/hamlet-on-integrity/
Williamson, C.C.H. (2013). Readings on the Character of Hamlet. UK: Routledge.