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The Shakespeare Conference: SHK 16.0621  Friday, 1 April 2005

From:           Larry Weiss <larry@lweiss.net>
Date:           Thursday, 31 Mar 2005 13:08:02 -0500
Subject: 16.0609 A Claudius Question
Comment:        Re: SHK 16.0609 A Claudius Question

 >Hamlet, after his return from his voyage to
 >England, says:  "This is I, Hamlet the Dane" (5.1), asserting his-in
 >whatever terms -- status as the *legitimate* ruler of Denmark.

Sorry, Robin, this line does not alter the legal situation.  He could
claim to be emperor, but it wouldn't make him such.  This sort of
grandiosity is typical of Hamlet at this stage of the play, like piling
Pelion on Ossa, and may be symptomatic of mental illness.

If, in fact, Hamlet was asserting that he was king, it was he, not
Claudius, who was usurping.

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