Question

Claudius: 'Tis sweet and commendable in your nature, Hamlet,

To give these mourning duties to your father:
But, you must know, your father lost a father;
That father lost, lost his; and the survivor bound
In filial obligation for some term
To do obsequious sorrow; but to presever
In obstinate condolement is a course
Of impious stubbornness, 'tis unmanly grief
-Hamlet,
William Shakespeare
Based on the passage, how does Claudius really feel about Hamlet's mourning?

Answer 1

Claudius views Hamlet's extended mourning as 'impious stubbornness' and unmanly, suggesting that while mourning is natural, it should be limited.

Step-by-step explanation:

Based on the passage from William Shakespeare's play Hamlet, it appears that Claudius believes Hamlet's mourning is excessive and somewhat unmanly. Claudius suggests that while it is natural and commendable to mourn, there should be a limit to this grief. He views Hamlet's continued mourning as a sign of 'impious stubbornness' and a failure to accept the natural order of life, where each generation inherits the loss of the previous one. Thus, Claudius sees Hamlet’s prolonged grief as inappropriate and an obstacle to moving forward.