Read the excerpt from Act IV of Hamlet.Claudius: He made confession of you, And gave you such a masterly report For art and exercise in your defence, And for your rapier most especially, That he cried out, 'twould be a sight indeed If one could match you; the scrimers of their nation, He swore, had neither motion, guard, nor eye, If you oppos'd them. Sir, this report of his Did Hamlet so envenom with his envy That he could nothing do but wish and beg Your sudden coming o'er, to play with him. Now, out of this,—Laertes: What out of this, my lord?Claudius: Laertes, was your father dear to you? Or are you like the painting of a sorrow,
Answer
A
to establish Claudius’s respect for Laertes
B
to illustrate Claudius’s skills of manipulation
C
to showcase Claudius’s wartime experience
D
to present Claudius’s interest in competition
Explanation
Claudius claims that Hamlet is jealous of Laertes’s fencing skill and has invited him to compete. He then abruptly asks whether Laertes loved his father, shifting toward a plan that uses Laertes’s grief to influence him. This exchange illustrates Claudius’s skill at manipulating Laertes, rather than simply expressing respect or interest in a contest.
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