¨The Distracted Multitude” {Claudius of Hamlet (Act 4, Scene 3, p.82)} by Dane Worships Hamlet from Shakespeare's play, Hamlet. The love of people does not guarantee a great personality, however, as Hamlet goes through the stages of grief, he hurts those around him to appease this grief-induced anger. Spurred on by the ghost of his father, Hamlet begins his quest for revenge where everyone: Ophelia, Gertrude, Rosencrantz and others have placed themselves in the crosshairs, painting Hamlet as a pseudo saint. Hamlet first despises those who simply try to help, such as Rosencrantz, Guildenstern, and Polonius, because they wronged Hamlet by unintentionally helping a murderer, Claudius. You might think that Hamlet might spare Polonius since he "loved Ophelia." Ophelia genuinely cares for Hamlet and out of that affection Hamlet tells her to “Take you to a nunnery” {Hamlet (Act 3, scene 1, p.55)} because she has sinned, as all individuals have sinned, and “Because, would you like to be a breeder of sinners?” {Hamlet (Act 3, scene 1, p.55)}. How rude to say that she should never marry when she, like Horatio, behaves properly and remains faithful to Hamlet through and through. Hamlet even goes so far as to say that he would "give [Ophelia] this plague as a dowry" {Hamlet (Act 3, scene 1, p.55)} if she "married" {Hamlet (Act 3, scene 1, p.55) }, all this for her desire to "return" (act 3, scenes 1 p.54) the "memories" (act 3, scenes 1 p.54) that Hamlet had given her with "words of such sweet composed breath" (Act 3, scene 1, p.54). Hamlet not only repays Ophelia's kindness with cruelty, but also kills her with the same pain he suffered when he stabbed Ophelia's father without a second thought. Furthermore, Hamlet does not seem to allow the dead to rest in peace because after Ophelia's death he finally claims his love for this dead girl as he extravagantly attempts to outdo Laertes, Ophelia's brother, by jumping into Ophelia's tomb and asking Laertes if Hamlet does one thing to Gertrude quite a blow for a mother to suffer, who says she is "stewed in corruption" (Act 3, scene 4, p.74) "In the rancid sweat of a soaked bed" (Act 3, scene 4, p.74). Hamlet punishes Gertrude with his words so severely that the ghost eventually appears again to order Hamlet to "stand between [Gertrude] and her fighting soul" (Act 3, scene 4, p. 75) because he has brought the slander beyond what was condoned, also for her infidelity towards her dead husband. Hamlet not only neglected his queen, but also unceremoniously disrespected his mother as an elder and as his parent when, as his parent, she was always only concerned with his well-being. At the first sign of his madness and possible unhappiness, Gertrude called in the cavalry, sending for Guildenstern and Rosencrantz "immediately to visit / [her] too-changed son" Gertrude (Act 2, scene 2, p.34) rather than allow Hamlet he will suffer for another second. Regardless of Gertrude's petty wrongdoings, Claudius has done many worse things: murder, incest, and conspiracy to murder, all for a crown and supposed love; however, Hamlet did worse. Hamlet openly hates Claudius for the actions he has committed, perhaps righteously angry, but Hamlet goes so far as to refrain from killing Claudius while praying.