hamlet

1396 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Preface to shakespeare analysis

Appearance can be defined as a superficial aspect; a semblance; or pretending something is the case in order to make a good impression. Reality on the other hand can be defined as the state of being actual or real; the state of the world as it really is rather than as you might want it to be. It is undeniably noticeable that throughout Shakespeare’s Hamlet many characters are playing roles: acting rather than being. This unquestionably reminds the reader of reality, where a person can play various roles. In reality, as well as in the play, it is not always easy to distinguish what is true from what only appears to be true. Throughout Hamlet, Shakespeare illuminates the theme of appearance versus reality by portraying principal characters. The principal characters put on an act to conceal their true motives and use it to carry out that motivation as well.
The character Polonius reveals this theme stronger than any other character in the play. Throughout the play we see him as a noble and honest man who means well for his family and is a vital link between his son Laertes and daughter Ophelia. But in truth, Polonius is desperately attempting to keep up the appearance of a loving and caring man, in order to prove himself to be of a high status. Before Laertes parts for Paris, Polonius speaks to him and gives him fatherly advice that appears to be meaningful, but in reality is hollow, repetitive, and without feeling. This speech is questionably the most deceiving speech of the play, and takes much thought and study to realize Polonius’ real priorities and objectives. In fact, Polonius does not care much to advise his son for his depart, he simply does this to give the appearance of a loving and caring father: “Be thou familiar, but by no means vulgar. / Those friends thou hast, and their adoption tried, /Grapple them to thy soul with hoops of steel, /But do not dull thy palm with entertainment” (I.iii.65-68). However, at the end of his speech, Polonius makes quite an ironic statement, drastically changing the tone: “And borrowing dulls the edge of husbandry. /This above all: to thine own self be true, /And it must follow, as the night the day, Thou canst not be false to any man. /Farewel. My blessing season this in thee!” (I.iii.77-81). Just when Polonius has won the trust of the reader, he sends Reynaldo to spy on Laertes, ultimately revealing Polonius’ inabi...

... middle of paper ...

...d remains calm when insulted by Hamlet, while any other king would have gotten infuriated: “A little more than kin, and less than kind.” (I.ii.66). Claudius’ actions therefore make it difficult to depict the truth about him. This adds to the mystery of whether Claudius is a good king or merely a conniving liar.
Each character in Hamlet is presented in a positive light, making it far more difficult for the reader to uncover the buried truth about the motives of each character. The principal characters blur the border between appearance and reality. Polonius, striving to appear the wonderful father while unable to avoid his conniving mentality; Hamlet, appearing insane and selfish when controlled and selfless; and of course King Claudius, smiling and kissing his sister-in-law/wife while wishing away the guilt of the murder of his own brother. These characters are complex and are a window through the appearances in our world to our reality. Shakespeare’s technique perfectly embodies the humanity of each of these characters, and sends this message right at the beginning of the play when all appears to be fine, but in reality, “Something is rotten in the state of Denmark.” (I.iv.99)

Show More
Related

  • King Claudius: The True Self In Shakespeare's Hamlet

    1290 Words  | 3 Pages

    In the story of Hamlet, King Claudius is his true self throughout the entire book. King Claudius has the personality of a King but he definitely wasn’t meant to be the King of Denmark. To be King, there are certain things a King needs to act by, such as: kindness, truthfulness, and loyalty. Nowhere in the play of Hamlet did King Claudius show any of

    Read More

  • Hamlet

    529 Words  | 2 Pages

    Hamlet Compare and contrast between Hamlet and Laertes William Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” is known as the best tragedy play of all times. Each one of the characters has their own unique personality, but some of them are very alike. Hamlet, the main character, and Laertes, one of the other leading roles, are very much alike but at the same time slightly different. Their experiences collide and they both make some decisions, which change their lives forever. Hamlet and Laertes both display impulsive reactions when angered.

    Read More

  • Hamlet

    1049 Words  | 3 Pages

    Something was definitely rotten in the state of Denmark. The king was dead of a murder most foul, a betrayal from his own brother, young Hamlet was thrown out of the frying pan, which was his father's passing, and into the fire of revenge. On would think that an act of revenge such as this, retribution from an enraged son over the unjust murder of his father, would come so quickly, wildly, and brutally, driven by anger and rage. This simply was not the case in William Shakespeare's Hamlet, Prince of Denmark. As the young prince Hamlet carefully thought out his plans for revenge over a rather large amount of time due to his own apparent weakness, inaction. "The smallest deed is greater than the grandest intention"(Stokes 90). Hamlet was full of grand ideas and intentions on how to kill the King, but he failed to act and to carry out the deed that was his revenge, the destruction of Claudius. Why did Hamlet choose and it was his choice, not to take revenge on Claudius quickly and decisively? Hamlet had his own reasons for inaction; the strategy that he felt best suited his revenge.

    Read More

  • Claudius' Speech

    1144 Words  | 3 Pages

    William Shakespeare’s Hamlet revolves around Hamlet’s quest to avenge his father’s murder. Claudius’ first speech as King at the beginning of Scene 2, Act 1 introduces the themes of hierarchy, incest and appearance versus reality and plays the crucial role of revealing Claudius’ character as part of the exposition. The audience is left skeptical after Horatio’s questioning of King Hamlet’s ghost in the first scene of the play. By placing Claudius’ pompous speech immediately after the frightening appearance of Hamlet’s ghost, Shakespeare contrasts the mournful atmosphere in Denmark to the fanfare at the palace and makes a statement about Claudius’ hypocrisy. Through diction, doubling and figurative language, Shakespeare reveals Claudius to be a self centered, hypocritical, manipulative and commanding politician.

    Read More

  • Hamlet

    1194 Words  | 3 Pages

    Ecclesiastes 7: 17 said “Be not overly wicked, neither be a fool. Why should you die before your time?” Suicide is an important part in the bible. It is one of the things that is considered a sin in Christianity. The bible has lessons and commandments for Christians to follow and those lessons are represented in books. In the early 1600’s religion was an important part of people’s lives and writers incorporated it into their writings. William Shakespeare wrote Hamlet in the early 1600’s and he wrote about religion while he was writing about a prince’s revenge on his uncle. His uncle killed his father and he was prepared to take revenge. Hamlet and Christianity are both about the good, the bad and the afterlife which makes Hamlet a Christian play.

    Read More

  • hamlet

    810 Words  | 2 Pages

    Many people question the psychological condition of the character Hamlet in the sixteenth century play Hamlet written by William Shakespeare. One of the reasons that the mental health of hamlet is in question by many people is the result of hamlet's actions as well as his reactions to events that occur during the play. Some people argue that the character Hamlet is insane, while others may argue that his insanity can be justified by several means such as his need for justice of his father's murder. However, Hamlet's need for justice or revenge does not necessarily justify Hamlet's behavior in the play. In addition, Hamlet's behavior falls into several categories of insanity such as shizophrenia. Therefore, there are many ways in which it can be proven that hamlet may truly be insane.

    Read More

  • Analysis Of Polonius In Hamlet

    1221 Words  | 3 Pages

    Joseph Rosenblum, another literary critic, examines Polonius’ behaviors in the presence of the royal family by noting, “Polonius is fond of the sound of his own voice, making lengthy addresses, one of which provokes Gertrude to tell him, ‘More matter with less art’ (2.2.95), but even this royal request cannot make him come to the point” (Rosenblum). Rosenblum’s evaluation of Polonius depicts the interference that the lord chamberlain’s pompous deportment poses to his royal duties, contributing to the acknowledgment of Polonius’ true personality as a self-interested and egocentric character. An additional paradigm that serves to augment Polonius’ portrayal as a supercilious individual and devoted follower of King Claudius involves his statement to the king concerning Laertes’, Polonius’ son’s, departure for Paris, “He hath, my lord, wrung from me my slow leave / By laboursome petition, and at last / Upon his will I seal’d my hard consent: / I do beseech you, give him leave to go” (Shakespeare 1596). By involving the powerful King Claudius in his personal family affairs, Polonius establishes his closeness with the monarch while simultaneously asserting his inclusion within the royal

    Read More

  • Hamlet's Characterization of Claudius

    2029 Words  | 5 Pages

    Hamlet’s dogged attempts at convincing himself and those around him of Claudius’ evil, end up being Claudius’ best moments. The audience doesn’t have just one view of Claudius; the other characters favorable ideas of Claudius as king and person lets them see the humanity, good and bad, in Claudius. An allegory for the human soul, Claudius is many things: a father, a brother, a husband, and a king. He, like anyone else, has to play the role to the best of his ability, but is still very human and susceptible to the evils of human emotion ranging from concern to jealousy, all of which could have easily fueled his decisions. Page 1 of 6 Works Cited Hamlet, Shakespeare.

    Read More

  • The Theme Of Appearance Vs Reality In King Claudius

    1174 Words  | 3 Pages

    The new king of Denmark, Claudius allows us to analyze this theme of appearance versus reality. As many do not know the actual way elder Hamlet died, King Claudius acts as though he seems to care deeply about his brother and grieves over his death. Claudius feigns sadness over the loss of his brother when speaking to others, “and that it us befitted/ To bear our hearts in grief, and our whole kingdom/ To be contracted in one brow of woe” (Shakespeare I.2.2-4 ), but to the audience his lies are obvious. We know Claudius killed his brother to take the throne, and he doesn’t actually care nor grieve for his brother. His goal has been achieved, but he pretends he grieves along with his new wife and the people. Claudius sees his brother’s murder as heavenly because it helped him achieve his goal to become King,“O, my offence is a rank, it smells to heaven/ It hath the primal eldest curse upn’t, A brother’s murder” (Shakespeare 3.3.36-38). He is proud of the deed, and he sees it as a necessary act. It is clear that Claudius has a dark interior that the audience can see clearly when other characters are not present. Claudius also fakes the love he feels towards his nephew and stepson,

    Read More

  • Hamlet

    3442 Words  | 7 Pages

    William Shakespeare is seen to many as one of the great writers in history. More specifically, the characters in his plays are reviewed and criticized and have been so for nearly four centuries. The character that many have revered Shakespeare for is perhaps the greatest such character ever in literature, Hamlet from Shakespeare's Hamlet, Prince of Denmark. The commentary and response to this legend of literature is of wide array and opinion, though most, such as Pennington, believe him to be a truly magnificent character: "Hamlet is perhaps the cleverest hero ever written, the subject of the first European tragedy, a form of genius. A type Shakespeare despaired of writing thereafter, having perceived that the heroes of tragedies must be sublime idiots" (185). However, despite his clear gifts and aura, Hamlet was a doomed character from the beginning: Hamlet is dominated by an emotion that is inexpressible. It is thus a feeling he cannot understand, he cannot objectify it, and it therefore remains open to poison life and to obstruct action" (Eliot 25). Thus, Hamlet, while possessing the traits of no other men of his time, a true Renaissance man, was doomed from the beginning of the play partly by forces he could not control, and also partly by his own character. It leads to a slow but definite ending to one of literature's great characters, one that he could not control. In the end, Hamlet was out of place in his environment, he was simply not meant to be.

    Read More

  • Hamlet

    749 Words  | 2 Pages

    Why do people crave power, fortune, and lust when all it leads to is corruption, greed, and/or death? In the play of Hamlet by William Shakespeare, one character's greed for power and fortune leads to tragedy. First, Claudius murders King Hamlet and attempts to kill prince Hamlet inorder to keep the crown to rule Denmark. Secondly, Claudius sets up a plan that involves putting a poisonous pearl in the winner's victory cup that eventually Gertrude drinks. He also puts poision on the tip of the sword that eventually kills Laertes in the duel. Lastly, Claudius sends Rosencranz & Guildenstern to escort Hamlet to England to secretly be killed so that he can keep the crown. One may object that Polonius' death was not the fault of Claudius' greed because Hamlet killed Polonius. However, Hamlet was obsessed with killing Claudius because he wanted to seek revenge for his father. Claudius' Greed for power is to blame for all the tragedies in the play Hamlet.

    Read More

  • Deception and Corruption in Hamlet

    735 Words  | 2 Pages

    Polonius is another character in the play who is corrupted. He is the Lord of Denmark and thrives for much high status, to obtain this more honorable status Polonius deceives and lies to many characters in the play including his son Laertes and his daughter Ophelia. In the beginning of the play it seems as if Polonius is very concerned about his keeping a good reputation. He is so concerned about it that he send his servant Reynaldo to spy on Laertes while he is away in Paris. This act of deception foreshadows the corruption within Polonius, because no noble man should have to spy on the prestige man he raised, he should also trust in his son and not betray him in such a manner.

    Read More

  • Appearance versus Reality in William Shakespeare's Hamlet

    423 Words  | 1 Pages

    Appearance versus Reality in William Shakespeare's Hamlet. Things are not always what they seem. This statement is prevalent to Shakespeare's "Hamlet", emphasized in some connotations of the language used by Hamlet's character in his second soliloquy. Throughout the play, there remains a conflict of appearance versus reality.

    Read More

  • Hamlet

    1500 Words  | 3 Pages

    In the play Hamlet by William Shakespeare, the main character, Hamlet, is often perceived by the other characters in the play as being mentally unbalanced because he acts in ways that drive them to think he is mad. Hamlet may very well be psychotic; however, there are times when he “feigns insanity” in order to unearth the truth surrounding his father's death. This plan seems to be going well until Hamlet's mental state slowly begins to deteriorate. What began as an act of insanity or antic disposition transitions from an act to a tragic reality. After studying Hamlet's actions, one will notice that as the play progresses, his feigned insanity becomes less and less intentional and devolves into true mental illness.

    Read More

  • Psychological Manipulation in Hamlet by William Shakespeare

    1320 Words  | 3 Pages

    ... the only way to honour his father Polonius is by killing Hamlet. In addition, as Claudius reads the letter from Hamlet to Laertes he says “'Tis Hamlet’s character. “Naked” And in a postscript here, he says “alone.” Can you advise me?” (IV, VII, 52-53). This shows that Claudius takes advantage of Hamlet’s return alone as an opportunity for Laertes to kill him. Through Claudius’s actions the readers observe how he deceives Laertes into killing Hamlet for his own benefit without getting blood on his hands. Furthermore, Claudius’ desperation to kill Hamlet leads to him losing sight of what is important, which is being the king of Denmark, what he originally wanted, instead the lies he told and the manipulation he spread is now taking over. To conclude, it is evident through the play that the words and actions of Claudius have only lead to the spread of deception.

    Read More

More about hamlet

Open Document