Claudius Act I

1. After making his speech to the kingdom, Claudius talks with Hamlet about the loss of his father.

King:
'Tis sweet and commendable in your nature, Hamlet,
To give these mourning duties to your father.
But now you must know your father lost a father,
That father lost, lost his, and the survivor bound
In finial obligation for some term
To do obsequious sorrow. But to perserve
In obstinate condolement is a course
Of impious stubbornness. Tis unmanly grief.
It shows a will most incorrect to heaven,
A heart unfortified, a mind impatient
An understanding simple and unschooled.
For what we know must be and is as common
As any the most vulgar thing to sense,
Why should we in our peevish opposition
Take it to heart? Fir, 'tis a fault to heaven,
A fault against the dead, a fault to nature,
To reason most absurd, whose common theme
Is death of father, and who still hath cried,
From the first corse till he that died today. . . (1.2.90-109)

Claudius advises Hamlet to stop mourning his father because it is unmanly and a crime against heaven. He also tells him to think of him as a father now, and that he should be happy to be next in line to the throne. Although his advise seems kind at first, we see that it is an act. He is not genuine in his care for Hamlet, he is just trying to make a good image in front of Gertrude and for his kingdom. He does not love Hamlet, but he wants everyone to believe that they are a happy family.

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2. Claudius tells Hamlet that he should stay in Denmark with him and Gertrude instead of going back to school, and Hamlet agrees.

King:
. . .
Why, 'tis a loving and a fair reply.
Be as ourself in Denmark.-- Madam, come.
This gentle and unforced accord of Hamlet
Sits smiling in my heart, in grace whereof
No jocund health that Denmark drinks today
But the great cannon to the clouds shall tell,
And the King's rouse the heaven shall bruit again,
Respeaking earthly thunder. Come away. (1.2.125-132)

Claudius wants Hamlet to stay in Denmark with his new family so that they appear as a single unit. Claudius will be a more powerful king with his family. He also wants Hamlet's approval, which will also make him a more powerful leader. Claudius gets Hamlet's approval by acting like he cares for him as if he were his own son (as explained above).

3.
Ghost:
. . .
The serpent that did sting thy father's life
Now wears his crown. (1.5.46-47)

We learn in scene 5 that Claudius is the one that killed Old Hamlet. Old Hamlet's ghost tells his son that his brother killed him in order to get to the crown. This information brings Claudius' true character to the surface. We saw him before as someone who was caring for Hamlet and who seemed kind, but now we see that his kindness is an act. In reality, he is a sneaky snake, evil enough to kill his own brother. He has to act loving to his family so that no one suspects anything of him.