Why Does Hamlet Kill Polonius?

Hamlet kills Polonius because he mistakes him for Claudius, the man who killed his father. In William Shakespeare's play "Hamlet," Hamlet is consumed by a desire for revenge against his father's murderer. When he sees Polonius spying on him, he assumes it is Claudius and stabs him through a curtain without checking to see who it is. The murder of Polonius is a turning point in the play, leading to Hamlet's exile and descent into madness.

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