Answer: Claudius
Step-by-step explanation:
When Hamlet encountered the ghost of his father who was the former king, the ghost told Hamlet that Hamlet has encountered his father's , the former king's ghost. The ghost tells Hamlet that he was not killed by a snake, but murdered by Claudius, Hamlet's uncle, and King Hamlet's brother. Explanation/Analysis. In this metaphor, the “serpent” is Claudius killed murdered him and that he wasn't killed by a snake.
When the Ghost tells Hamlet "The serpent that did sting thy Father's life, now wears his crown.", he was referring to Claudius whom was Hamlet's uncle, and King Hamlet's brother. It should be noted that the serpent is just a metaphor for Claudius.