Hamlet: Theories Of Hamlet's Delay In Killing Claudius There are several theories about why Hamlet, the main character of Shakespeare's masterpiece, Hamlet, delays in killing his Uncle, King Claudius. As the son of a murdered noble, Hamlet is obligated to avenge the death of his father. However, the act is never performed until the end of the play... quite some time after Hamlet discovered Claudius was his father's killer. Some historians and literary experts would say Hamlet's strong religious bonds prevented him from performing the sinful deed. Others would have it that Hamlet was a melancholic and therefore was too intellectual to kill his uncle. Infam