The characteristics of a great king have been debated by countless scholars and civilians throughout history. It is assumed that a king must be prepared for sudden threats to his country, which require him to be a decisive leader. Civilians want a king who gives an accurate representation of themselves and their country. Without its citizens it is nothing, so it must recognize its inhabitants and do what is best for them. As a model citizen, the king must be honest and reveal all of himself to his country. In William Shakespeare's play Hamlet, the protagonist and anti-hero is played by a prince named Hamlet, who is on the verge of becoming king after his father's untimely death. However, disturbing the throne is Hamlet's uncle, Claudius, who poisoned Hamlet's father. To seek revenge, Hamlet plots the murder of his uncle, but is interfered with by his character flaws resulting in the death of his mother, Gertrude, his mistress, Ophelia, his father, Polonius, his uncle, Claudius, and, finally, of himself. However, if Hamlet had survived and become king, he would not have been able to adhere to the characteristics of an exceptional king due to his self-centered, insincere, and indecisive characteristics. Throughout the play, Hamlet's selfish characteristics are manifested among his interactions with Ophelia, Gertrude, and Polonius. In the third act, Ophelia returns to Hamlet the gifts he had given her, implying that she does not belong to him (III, i, 104). As a result, Hamlet immediately suspects that he is being spied on by Claudius and Polonius. He then further concludes that Ophelia is complicit in her uncle's plans to elicit a reaction from her. This suspicion of Ophelia is a...... middle of paper......lia, which verifies her character trait of dishonesty. Hamlet's dishonesty is also prevalent when he does not reveal where he hid Polonius' body, contradicting the truthfulness of a noble king. A considerable king should be prepared for everything, thus being able to make hasty decisions. However, Hamlet lingers on his thoughts and does not act, resulting in the tragedies of the play. Shakespeare wrote the character of Hamlet with the most humanistic qualities, so Hamlet is not a flawless person. Being a great king requires much more than any average human being can promise; it requires that you not fail. It is human nature for people to make mistakes, so no one should expect extraordinary things, because they will most likely be disappointed. Works Cited Shakespeare, William, Ann Thompson and Neil Taylor. Hamlet. London: Thomson Learning, 2006. Print.