In most common forms of literature, the protagonist is portrayed as purely evil and nothing else. This is not the case, however, in William Shakespeare's classic play Hamlet. Shakespeare gives the protagonist, Claudius, some actual character, making him less of a tyrannical villain and more of a human being, giving him doubts about his acts and second thoughts, much like Hamlet himself. By creating sympathy for Claudius from the audience, Shakespeare is able to create …showed first 75 words of 966 total…

…showed last 75 words of 966 total…able to see that he is having doubts about his actions just as anyone would, it is also revealed that he possesses some of the same qualities as his nephew. Without this speech, Claudius would remain in the villainous light which Hamlet perceives him in. However, by allowing the audience to gain sympathy for both characters, Shakespeare brings his play to the peak of realism and gives a pragmatic portrayal of human nature in general.