Question

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

Answer 1

Claudius is detached and critical.

Answer 2

Answer: Claudius is detached and critical.

Explanation:

This is an excerpt from Hamlet, a famous Shakespeare's play about a man (Hamlet) who seeks revenge on his uncle, Claudius, for murdering his father. Claudius is a new king and has also married Hamlet's mother upon his brother's death.

Claudius wants Hamlet to think of him as his new father. Moreover, he is trying to balance the grief over his brother's death and the happiness over his new marriage. Neither is possible, however. In this particular excerpt, Claudius criticizes Hamlet for mourning for so long. He argues that every person must lose a father at certain point, but it is stubborn to mourn for too long. His point is that, if everyone dies eventually, why should we be sad? This makes Claudius detached and critical, as he shows no sympathy for what Hamlet is going through.