The character of Claudius the King in Shakespeare’s Hamlet is a complex individual. In the play he murders his brother, marries his former sister-in-law (the Queen), and ascends to the throne of Denmark. These three deeds were performed by a shrewd and self-serving man. The King will do almost anything to protect the throne, in spite of knowing that he did not rightfully earn it. He resorts to underhanded tactics such as spying, manipulation, and deceit in order to overcome whatever he perceives as a threat to his supreme position. Claudius first appears in Act 1, scene 2, where he addresses the court after his marriage to the Queen