Uncertainty In Hamlet

In William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Shakespeare creates characters such as Claudius, Hamlet, Rosencrantz, and Guildenstern that act genuine, but are deceitful. The purpose of this is to incorporate the theme of appearance vs. reality. Each of these characters untruthful actions create a sense of uncertainty throughout the play that eventually leads to deaths in act 5 scene 2 since all of the characters have suspicions about each other. This begins early in act 1 as Claudius seems to act caring, but is really trying to persuade Hamlet to forget his murdered father and treat Claudius as his true father. When Claudius addresses Hamlet and Gertrude, he says “’Tis sweet and commendable in your nature, / Hamlet” (1.2.90-91). Claudius acts as though he is

Hamlet appears to be mad toward everyone around him, but his acting causes uncertainty for the reader. He calls Polonius “a fishmonger” (2.2.190) and then goes on to say Polonius “cannot, take from me anything that I will more willingly part withal-except my life, / except my life, except my life” (2.2.233-235). Hamlet switches topics in just a short encounter, showing his madness. However, he is only crazy sometimes and in other situations, he is aware of his surroundings. Hamlet shows this by saying, “I am but mad north-north-west. When the / wind is southerly, I know a hawk from a handsaw” (2.2.402-403). It is his madness that causes uncertainty with Claudius, Ophelia, Polonius, Rosencrantz, and Guildenstern. Polonius is sure that his madness is caused by his love for Ophelia, but Claudius is not convinced. Therefore, he assigned Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to investigate. Rosencrantz says their reason for coming is merely “to visit” (2.2.292) Hamlet, but Hamlet knows “the good king and queen” (2.2.303) made them come. Even Hamlet’s best friends cannot be trusted. All of these instances of deception drive both Hamlet and Claudius to plan each other’s deaths at the end of the