Hamlet Dishonesty Essay

Matt Pierson
Period 7
4/15/14
Hamlet Essay

Different Masks

Genuine people are few and far in between. Honesty is always hidden under the mystery of corruption. Wherever you go, people seem to put on mask and hide who they truly are become hidden from the outside world. Their motives are unknown but they have a deep, dark necessity to act and play a different role when they are in the presence of others. However, this doesn’t pertain to just people in the real world, it also occurs in the world of Shakespeare. The audience quickly finds that just like in their everyday life, fictional characters can also play a different role to achieve what they truly desire. Consequently, these characters develop a sense of dishonesty throughout the story and this dishonesty eventually leads to the destruction of their plans. Just like a weak foundation of a building, a weak personality will eventually crumple in ruin. In order to capture the recurring theme of dishonesty, William Shakespeare uses the death of King Hamlet to force a façade of security and responsibility on the major characters in his play, Hamlet.
Although King Claudius fails in comparison to his late brother King Hamlet, he still tries to portray king like traits and exemplify king like deeds. However, we quickly find that he is weak and faulty king not truly fit to rule. His character embodies irony to the fullest. Hamlet even refers him as a joke compared to his father. Even if Claudius is ruler over Denmark, he is still a peasant compared to King Hamlet: “So excellent a king, that was to this/Hyperion to a satyr, so loving to my mother” (I.ii.139-140). Yet, King Claudius tries to his newfound power to influence others. He uses the throne as a mask to hide his true self and...

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...or of continuing the legacy of the now late prince Hamlet.
In order to capture the recurring theme of falsehood, William Shakespeare uses the death of King Hamlet to force a trickery of security and responsibility on the major characters in his play, Hamlet. The audience rapidly discovers that masks don’t just hide physical appearances and actors aren’t just simply for theatre, they exist all around us. Everyone has the ability to create multiple identities in order to achieve a darker goal but whether or they access this ability is based on the integrity of that person. Shakespeare wanted to make a bold statement of fake personalities through his play Hamlet. False personalities will eventually fall under the force of the truth. They will eventually have to demonstrate their true character. Just like a crumpling building, they dishonesty will lead to their demise.