What line from act 3 of Hamlet supports the conclusion that Claudius fears his own fate?
Act 3, Scene 3 has the following lines in which Claudius expresses his fears:
“What if this cursed hand
Were thicker than itself with brother’s blood
Is there not rain enough in the sweet heavens
To wash it white as snow?”
His worries are related to the murder of his brother and the punishment that followed, which he views as a genuine curse.
Claudius’ anxieties are dependent on his knowledge of his guilt. Since killing his brother seemed to be a logical next step, he waits for the curse to be cast upon him. He still has a chance to get away from this punishment, though. Yet, he believes that such a result is unlikely and finds the idea of it being inevitable upsetting.
Claudius is unable to do anything but pray in the chapel because he cannot give up on finding pardon. Both his expressed regret and his desire for power have him overcome, and neither of these emotions seems to prevail. Even though he committed the murder with violence and decisiveness, this event shows him to be a man who has uncertainties. He wrote these lines appears to be a weak but cunning individual.
Even regret cannot stop Claudius from wanting to murder Hamlet. The dangers include losing power as well as maybe losing his life. In the end, Claudius’ tactics produce the desired consequence. This situation fuels his desire for dominance and makes him disregard any subsequent thoughts of shame and retribution. Yet, this is only a short-term success, and he will pay a price for his misdeeds.
