Hamlet and HoratioWhen you read Shakespeare's Hamlet, you become involved in a series of relationships involving Hamlet (the tragic protagonist) and the main characters who support the play. Characters involved include, but are not limited to, Hamlet (the Ghost), former king of Denmark and the protagonist's deceased father; Horatio, Hamlet's friend; Gertrude, queen of Denmark and mother of Hamlet; and Ophelia, daughter of Polonius and Hamlet's romantic interest. While all relationships are complex and encompass a wide range of different emotions as the plot progresses, there is a recurring theme of love woven throughout the work. This theme of love takes on several faces that we can observe through the relationships that Hamlet experiences throughout the production. We see Hamlet's filial love for his mother, Gertrude, and romantic love for Ophelia, daughter of Polonius. However, it is Hamlet's platonic bond with Horatio, his best friend, that proves to be the strongest bond of all and attracts the most attention as it relates to the theme of love. While emotions, relationships, and loyalties constantly change, it is the platonic love of friendship and loyalty, shared by Hamlet and Horatio, that remains unchanged and unchallenged. Hamlet enjoys a certain degree of romantic relationships with other characters, though none as deep as the love he has for Horatio. The two strongest relationships Hamlet shares, outside of his relationship with Horatio, are his filial love for Queen Gertrude and his romantic love for Ophelia. Hamlet's love for Queen Gertrude is called into question upon his father's death and her marriage to King Claudius. Hamlet's romantic love for Ophelia is constantly... middle of paper... necessary. In addition to a seemingly unconditional friendship ("apparently", since the basis of this friendship is never fully explained, and the reader is left to make this assumption), Horatio is the only character close to Hamlet with no relation to royal family. This lack of submission to Claudius, Getrude, Polonius, and Ophelia keeps Horatio out of the circle of characters who would act to cause the most harm to Hamlet. In the absence of ulterior motives (social, political and economic), Horatio's platonic love for Hamlet (and vice versa) can prove truly unconditional. Works Cited Shakespeare, William. Hamlet. Sven Birkerts, ed., Literature The Evolving Canon, Boston: Allyn & Bacon, 1977.States, Bert O. “Horatio—Our Man in Elsinore: An Essay on Dramatic Logic.” South Atlantic Quarterly, Vol. 78, no. 1 (Winter 1979) 46-56