Secrecy In Hamlet

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In the play, Hamlet, Hamlet reads as a bitter and cynical character. He hates his uncle and mother for their careless and power hungry nature and is full of mistrust. And, the mistrust that Hamlet feels somewhat drives the action of the play and determines the sincerity of his statements. Early in the play, Hamlet is angry and confused after the sudden death of his father, the king of Denmark. During Hamlet’s conversation with his mother (1.2.75-86), he explains that not all in the play’s universe is as it “seems”. This theme of secrecy officially begins after Hamlet’s interaction with the Ghost, his late father. “Swear… swear… swear…swear” Hamlet demands four times from his friends (1.5.148-181). His urgency in the passage alludes that he …show more content…

Hamlet begins this passage (2.2.278-293) by acknowledging Guildenstern and Rosencrantz’s secrecy to the king and stating that their “secrecy to the king and queen moult no feather” (2.2.279). Hamlet introduces his speech by suggesting that he has nothing to hide. He then continues to transition back in forth between describing the beauty of the earth, “this excellent canopy (of) air… this brave o’erhanging firmament… this majestic roof fretted with golden fire” (2.2.283-285), but by prefixing this statement with “but wherefore I know not, lost all my mirth, forgone all custom of exercises” (2.2.280-281). Hamlet describes the world around him as once being full of beauty but now a “foal and pestilent congregation of vapors” (2.2.285-286). Hamlet can no longer find delight in man nor women and finds the world to be a “a sterile promontory” (2.2.280-283). The gloomy world that Hamlet illustrates to his friends is very dramatic. But why? Hamlet’s frantic, cynical, and odd behavior is an indication that he is going mad, but Hamlet’s private behavior only known to the audience indicates that he is acting mad as a way to appear as a non threat to Claudius. Hamlet portrays an allusion of his misery and dejection as a cover to protect him while he investigates the guilt and

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