excerpt from act iii, scene iii of shakespeare's hamlet
claudius. [alone]
o, my offence is rank, it smells to heaven;
it hath the primal eldest curse upon't,
a brother's murderer! pray can i not, 2320
though inclination be as sharp as will.
my stronger guilt defeats my strong intent,
and, like a man to double business bound,
i stand in pause where i shall first begin,
and both neglect. what if this cursed hand 2325
were thicker than itself with brother's blood,
is there not rain enough in the sweet heavens
to wash it white as snow? whereto serves mercy
but to confront the visage of offence?
and what's in prayer but this twofold force, 2330
to be forestalled ere we come to fall,
or pardon'd being down? then i'll look up;
my fault is past. but, o, what form of prayer
can serve my turn? 'forgive me my foul murder'?
that cannot be; since i am still possess'd 2335
of those effects for which i did the murder-
my crown, mine own ambition, and my queen.
may one be pardon'd and retain th' offence?
in the corrupted currents of this world
offence's gilded hand may shove by justice, 2340
and oft 'tis seen the wicked prize itself
buys out the law; but 'tis not so
why is claudius unable to truly repent for his sin of killing his brother?
a) because he is not sorry at all that he killed his brother
b) because he feels like he shouldn't have to repent for such a heinous sin
c) because he wants to kill hamlet in addition to killing his brother
d) because he will not give up the crown and wife he gained from the murder