King Claudius Deception

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Since the act of masking demands persistent, onerous efforts to prolong its effects, it often leads to emotional exhaustion and causes psychological distresses. To provide a justifiable reason for claiming the Danish throne, Claudius forges sorrows and invents a lugubrious mask. For example, by publicly expressing his griefs in the Danish court, Claudius presents a heartbroken image and establishes himself as a figure who is both emotionally attached to his brother and excessively concerned about family members. Although he internally possesses vicious thoughts and adopts an indifferent attitude towards brotherhood, Claudius’ realistic actings convey the profound love felt towards his brother, which effectively eradicate suspicions of him causing King Hamlet’s death. In this example, the mask conceals his wicked murder and provides a …show more content…

As a result, he is forced to maintain the deception and is terrified of exposing the truth of King Hamlet’s murder. Therefore, Claudius lives in a state of heightening fears and insecurities. During the play Gonzago, he questions “is there no offence in’t”; he also abruptly rises and orders “give me some light, away!” when Lucianus pours poison into Player King’s ear. Claudius’ intense reaction to a fictional, farcical play demonstrates that his mind is overpowered by fears and anxieties. It reveals that he suffers tremendous emotional exhaustion caused by deception. Therefore, although wearing a mask enables Claudius to obtain power, in exchange it heightens his sensitivity and makes him exceedingly vulnerable to subtle changes in the surrounding. Besides creating emotional burdens, mask also prevents Claudius from seeking redemption and leads to psychological

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