hamlet

            
             In the play Hamlet a crime is commited by a brother against his own blood. This crime is a central event of the play that two main characters each reflect upon in their own manner. Shakespeare uses many tools including tone and syntax to reveal how each character feels about the event. .
             Tone is an important aspect of all Shakespeare's works. In lines 42-44 the kings language and tone reveal his feelings of betrayal by his brother, "That adulterate beast.witchcraft of his wits.his shameful lust." The king also expresses a vengeful tone against his brother in lines 81-84,"If thou hast nature in thee, bear it not." Clearly the king wishes that Hamlet would expose the crimes of his uncle and avenge his father's death. In contrast to the ghost's opinion of the crime, King Claudius feels mixed remourse and self serving ambition. In lines 36-39, Claudius compares his crime to the crime of Cain in the Bible. "It hath the primal eldest curse upon't." Further along in his speech he wonders aloud, "Is there not rain enough in the sweet heavens to wash it white as snow." These lines clearly show that while Claudius did plot his brother's demise, he did not slay without remourse. However Claudius then prays to angels hoping that God will make his subjects more obedient to him, "Bow stubborn knees and hearts with strings of steel." Although the evil of Claudius' crime is obvious, Shakespeare uses the tone of his speech to make him seem more human. .
             Obviously in any case a victim and a perpetrator of a crime will have different views about the crime in question. In his speech, the ghost reveals his feelings about what his brother has done in lines 60-64 . He feels the infringement was unprovoked and that it was an iniquitous end to his life, "Upon my secure hour thy uncle stole." Although the ghost knows the queen was involved in his death, he blames Claudius entirely in lines 55-60, "My crown, mine own ambition and my queen.