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about this was to act harshly.Another point to counter Knight’s claim that Hamlet is inhumane is the Prince’s relationship with the scholar Horatio. Horatio is Hamlet’s friend from Wittenberg who comes to Elsinore to see Old Hamlet’s funeral. He is a noble stoic who is by far the most pure character in the play. Horatio is one of the few characters who never tries to deceive anyone, and who doesn’t get involved in any crooked plots. Before the Mousetrap, Hamlet calls Horatio “as just a man/ As e’er [his] conversation cop’d withal” (III, ii, 55-56). This connection between Hamlet and Horatio is so strong that at the end of the play when Hamlet is dying, Horatio is moved to attempt suicide because he is “more an antique Roman than a Dane” (V, ii, 345). The strong connection between Horatio and Hamlet is important because the pure and wise Horatio would not associate himself with a “a sick, cynical, and inhumane prince.” This is further evidence which casts doubt upon Knight’s analysis of Hamlet.Wilson Knight also suggests that the state of Denmark is “one of healthy and robust life, good-nature, humor, romantic strength, and welfare.” (Jump, 125). However, there are a great deal of textual evidence which indicates that this is an incorrect conclusion. When Bernardo and Francisco are keeping guard, Francisco notes that “tis bitter cold,/ And I am sick at heart” (I, i, 7-8). The guards are representative of the common people of Denmark, and his comment can be interpreted that the entire state of Denmark is sick at heart due to the recent death of Old Hamlet and Claudius’ ascension to the thrown. Upon seeing the ghost of Old Hamlet, Horatio comments, “This bodes some strange eruption to our state” (I, i, 69). Even the scholar who was hesitant to believe in ghosts is now convinced that Denmark is headed for trouble. After the ghost makes his second appearance, Marcellus notes, “Something is rotten in the state of Denmark” (I, iv, 90). Theses observations in the first act are clear indications that Denmark has transformed into a state of chaos.The most glaring weakness of Wilson Knight’s interpretation of Hamlet is his conclusion that Claudius is “a good and gentle king, enmeshed by the chain of causality linking him with his crime” (Jump, 125). Knight dismisses the murder of Old Hamlet too easily. As John Jump states, “Claudius was no impulsive offender, suddenly acting our of character. He deliberately and treacherously poisoned his mistress’s husband, a man who was his brother and his king” (Jump, 125). Claudius is saddled with the responsibility for the murder of Old Hamlet, but he does not even consider repenting until the he realizes that Hamlet is planning to seek revenge. However, when he thinks about repent, he wonders “May one be pardon’d and retain the offence?” (III, iii, 67). Claudius sees the benefits of repenting, yet he does not want to give up the prizes of his sin. Ultimately, Claudius rises and his “thoughts remain below” even though his “words fly up” (III, iii, 98-99). The King is unable to repent because his prayers are insincere. Is this a good and gentle king?Not only is Claudius unable to repent, but throughout the play he is extremely manipulative of many of the other characters. When Laertes challenges that Claudius is responsible for the madness of his sister and the death of his father, Claudius deftly avoids the situation, and he forms an alliance with Laertes. Claudius suggests that Laertes uses, “A sword unbated, and, in a pass of practice/ Requite [Hamlet] for your father” (IV, vii, 137-138). Cladius further thickens the plot by adding that he will prepare a “chalice for the nonce, where on but sipping/ If he by chance escapes [Laertes'] venom’d stuck,/ [their] purpose may hold there” (IV, vii, 159-161). Claudius engineers this vicious plot, and it results in the death of Laertes, Hamlet, and Gertrude. During his reign the “kind and gentle” King concocted a plot which resulted in the death of three members of the Danish royalty, he murdered his brother, the former King of Denmark, and entered into an incestuous relationship with his brothers wife.While constructing Wilson Knight’s argument, I gained a full understanding of how he derived his interpretation of the play, and I began to support his interpretation. However, as I began to deconstruct his argument, I realized that there are many weaknesses to his interpretation, and I realized the strengths of my interpretation. This is the challenge of literature. It can be interpreted in so many different manners, and at times the vastly different interpretations can greatly confuse students. It is the students responsibility to take criticisms into consideration, but to derive their own unique interpretation based upon their studies.