Shakespeare's "Hamlet"

Paper Summary:

This paper explains that the character Horatio in Shakespeare's "Hamlet"
is the one person whom the main character Hamlet trusts and is the only prominent character that finds himself alive at the end. The author points out that Horatio is the antithesis of two other characters Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, Hamlet's old friends upon whom he feels he can no longer rely. The paper relates that Horatio is the pure soul of the play, the herald of Hamlet's story whose behavior parallels Christian tenets because his honesty and goodness rise above the shadowy dealings of many other characters; they are punished and the good Horatio is rewarded. Several quotations.

From the Paper:

"The reader senses that Horatio has never given Hamlet any reason to doubt his love and devotion towards him. The service of a true friend is something that is never forgotten and rarely questioned. Hamlet certainly seems sure of the worth of this true friend. Some may see Horatio as a simple "yes-man," which may be a valid argument. Surely, Horatio was never said to have brought grand insight to Hamlet's plan, nor an amazingly original idea. His worth comes from another source. His agreements with his friend are based on true sincerity. Certainly, Claudius recognized that sincerity and found Horatio not to be a worthy candidate for the recognizance work required."

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