s distinguish each man from the other. First, Claudius kills strictly for (intended) personal gain. When he usurps the throne from his brother by poisoning him, Claudius is merely trying to afford himself greater political power. Hamlet, by contrast, sets out to kill Claudius to avenge his father's murder. While Hamlet does kill Polonius, this is accidental, as he believes that he is striking at Claudius. When Hamlet kills Polonius, Claudius realizes that it is he whom his nephew is trying to murder and sets out to kill Hamlet first (Shakespeare). Hamlet kills to restore the balance of justice, and Claudius kills despite it.
As previously mentioned, both characters are impulsive, yet again there are major differences in the men's behaviors. Claudius kills his brother, his wife, and his nephew and stepson because he fails to think through the cons
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