ipl-logo

Deception In Hamlet Research Paper

688 Words3 Pages

Every story is designed with an inspiring hero overcoming an iniquitous villain. The bonding between these two versatile characters enhance the meaning of the story around which the plot revolves. Throughout literature the antagonists are seen as individuals who are striving to astray others for their own benefits. Most often the audience pay more attention towards the antagonist, because their actions affect heavily on the lives of other characters. Similarly, William Shakespeare uses literature to explain the human nature of deceiving each other. One of his great works, Hamlet contains a central theme of deception, and betrayal. He demonstrated how an individual can secretly spy on others for their ambitions. In his play, Shakespeare builds …show more content…

However, the concept of deception is also a major part of the play and it’s mainly demonstrated through the character of King Claudius. Shakespeare portrays Claudius as manipulative character, who uses his intelligence to delude the nation of Denmark and queen Gertrude. In the beginning of the play, Claudius is shown as capable ruler who oath to support the people of Denmark. During his speech he uses the incidence of Hamlet's father death to create a unity and to get the people together as he stated, "to bear our hearts in grief and our whole kingdom/ To be contracted in one brow of woe" (Shakespeare 1.2.3-4). His speech demonstrates people’s devastated loss of their beloved king, and he advises them to be hopeful because prosperity will come under his reign. Claudius was aware that in this time of despair he can conquer the kingdom of Denmark. During the situation when Fortinbras was trying to attack, and the people of Denmark were already struck by the sudden death of their king. He knew that his false assurance could ignite the nation. Thus giving him the opportunity of becoming a king, and marrying Gertrude. The theme of deception lies in the heart of King Claudius where he tries to impress queen Gertrude and shows her that he’s responsible to handle the country. He also successfully misleads the nation into believing that he is a worthy

Show More
Related

Personification Of Claudius's Speech

398 Words | 2 Pages

In this speech, Claudius wisely starts off with the recognition of Denmark’s grief over the death of King Hamlet through the use of personification where it says, “ our whole kingdom to be contracted in one brow of woe). This helps emphasize that Denmark, as a whole, has suffered a loss. He also says that he still has fresh (green) memories of his brother. He starts off his speech saying all of this because he wants Denmark to think that he is also grieving with them as a nation and that he not only lost a King like everyone else but he also lost a brother. His use of language in speech really exemplifies how Claudius is the master of deception - in the middle of his speech from lines 5 to 6, he justifies his marriage to Gertrude by my making

Read More

Why Is Hamlet Better Than Claudius

1378 Words | 6 Pages

Claudius expresses his thoughts on Hamlet to many people including Gertrude: “His liberty is full of threats to us all” (iv.i.14). Hamlet makes attempts to expose Claudius for murdering his father by putting on a play that mirrors the murder and he shames his mother for marrying Claudius. After seeing the play and hearing of Polonius' murder, Claudius felt even stronger about Hamlet being a threat. In order to prevent Hamlet from convincing everyone Claudius should not be king. He tells the people around him that Hamlet has gone mad and must leave.

Read More

Examples Of Rhetoric In Hamlet

626 Words | 3 Pages

“To be honest, as this world goes, is to be one man picked out of ten thousand.” (Hamlet 2.2.8). Claudius was the most dishonest person throughout the play and is perhaps the reason why all these tragedies take

Read More

Lying And Secrets In Shakespeare's Hamlet

621 Words | 3 Pages

Hamlet is very secretive about the ghost, until he tries to convince Gertrude he is there, and fails in the process, which only causes her to believe he is more crazy. King Claudius is a character full of corrupt power, lies and mystery. Claudius’ entire life as king spirals from the secret that he killed his brother, married his wife and essentially stole the crown. Carrying around that disastrous secret

Read More

King Claudius Selfish Essay

830 Words | 4 Pages

He is a deceptive character in the way that he manipulates others. Claudius even has to lie when Hamlet proves that he is guilty of killing King Hamlet. He has a very dramatic reaction because he knows Hamlet is aware of what he did. He blames his reaction on a sudden need for lights. It happens while he is watching Hamlet’s play, “The Mouse Trap,” a play in which the king’s nephew pours poison into the king’s ear.

Read More

Claudius Deceiving Character Analysis

1517 Words | 7 Pages

This first seed of deception planted by the new king causes almost the entire chain of events that take place in the Tragedy Hamlet to happen. All in all Claudius’s deception plays a major role in the the layout and plot of Hamlet. Claudius is a deceptive power hungry foil character in this Shakespeare play who has a great influence on the of the actions and events that led to the climax and falling action of the play.

Read More

Character Deception In William Shakespeare's Hamlet

1940 Words | 8 Pages

Hamlet Character deception is a common characteristic that has and will be a reflecting characteristic in literature for centuries. In many of William Shakespeare’s tragedies, deception, whether positive or negative, is being used to mislead, to protect characters, or to hide a crime or future crime. Analyzing why the characters are using deception against each other is very important to the reader’s understanding of the work as a whole. In William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, He uses Hamlet’s deception of character and also the character’s use of deception towards Hamlet to carry out the overall theme of the tragedy. The theme that is represented, is that in able to get malicious revenge, you must be able to act as if you are someone different than your true self while in turn, being able to deal with others deceiving you.

Read More

Abuse Of Power In Elizabethan Era

1534 Words | 7 Pages

Firstly, Hamlet is a play of a man by the name of Hamlet, whose father was murdered by Claudius, his uncle. Claudius murdered the king by pouring poison in his ear to claim the throne for himself. Hamlet is then told by a ghost to murder Claudius for revenge, and he struggles within himself for the length of play whether to do it or not. When Hamlet begins to hesitate it does more damage than good and causes a chain reaction of tragic events, and makes the readers question whether Hamlet is truly sane or not. Claudius’s corruptness begins to show when he uses his authority to order those around him to rid of Hamlet.

Read More

The Manipulator: An Analysis Of Claudius In Shakespeare's Hamlet

1025 Words | 5 Pages

The Manipulator: An Analysis of Claudius in Shakespeare’s Hamlet Claudius, the king in the drama Hamlet by William Shakespeare, was a manipulative, power-driven, mastermind. His dream of becoming king came true when he supposedly murdered his brother, Hamlet Senior, and married the queen Gertrude. Frightened by Hamlet’s insanity and strange allegations, Claudius manipulated Gertrude, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, and Laertes through his heinous scheme to kill Hamlet. Weak from the murder of her husband and the threat of Fortinbras’s army reconquering Denmark, Gertrude was easily manipulated into marrying Claudius, the man who fabricated his protection and her peace of mind.

Read More

Hamlet Deception Essay

1053 Words | 5 Pages

In Hamlet, many characters deceive each other, including Claudius, Polonius and Hamlet. To put it simply, each of these characters use deception to uncover or hide the truth, but

Read More

Use Of Deception In Hamlet

1295 Words | 6 Pages

Deception comes in many forms and can be seen in all kind of ways but mainly when someone purposely causes someone to believe something that isn 't true to gain a personal advantage. Many authors use this tactic in their plays books and other literary work like in the play Hamlet by William Shakespeare, the author uses the technique of deception to mislead Claudius, Gertrude, himself, Ophelia and his friends Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to spare their feelings and to carry out a crime. Hamlet uses deception throughout the novel, but one way is to distract everyone from his true intention which is to gather information against Claudius to prove he killed his father. Shakespeare contributes all this back into his work by making each character in the play enact on some form of deceit to uncover the obscure truth.

Read More

The Theme Of Deception In Hamlet

1544 Words | 7 Pages

In the drama Hamlet deception plays a key role in advancing the plot and more, this in most apparent in the character Hamlet whose motives for his deceptions are, the obvious, easily stated motive to kill King Claudius and take revenge for his father, but also the underlying motive of trying to find the true point of his life and whether or not to keep living or let himself Barton 2 go, and this contributes to the main plot by making everyone think he is completely mad and disregarding him as a vengent filled lunatic who has no real true control over his thoughts and actions. The first and primary motive of Hamlet’s deception is to take vengeance for his murdered father and kill King Claudius. “So, uncle, there you are. Now to my word:/It is Adieu, Adieu, remember me./

Read More

Hamlet Deception Essay

1168 Words | 5 Pages

By expressing their unwavering loyalty to the king by agreeing to spy on Hamlet, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern reinforce the theme of deception as he betrays Hamlet, their long-time friend, in order to carry out Claudius’s dirty work. This betrayal and deception ultimately lead to their tragic demise as the letter, Hamlet’s execution note, which they are ordered to deliver, is discovered by Hamlet himself and used against them. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are executed and Hamlet feels no guilt whatsoever, as their betrayal really hurt him. Another illustration of deception is highlighted through the various acts of King Claudius, as he is the mastermind behind many of

Read More

Shakespeare's Use Of Deception In The Tragedy Of Hamlet

339 Words | 2 Pages

Deception is an essential element in any tragedy. Its' affects on the lives of the characters could be destructive or benign. In William Shakespeare's The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark deceit proves to be the very foundation of the play. Shakespeare builds on this idea of deceit between the characters, from the very beginning. The deceit that is practiced is imposed on others as well as self inflicted ultimately leading to a tragic ending.

Read More

Hamlet Role Play Analysis

1313 Words | 6 Pages

However, Hamlet soon discovers that Claudius has been lying to him, and Claudius’ real motive is to kill Hamlet in order to exterminate all possible threats to his reign. Claudius’ role play affects the entire country of Denmark, and he convinces the people that he is the rightful king, when he is not, and has murdered his brother for the throne. Gertrude, too, takes on a role; throughout the play, she seems oblivious to her wrongdoings. She claims that she loves Claudius, and did not just marry him for political reasons.

Read More

More about Deception In Hamlet Research Paper

Related Topics

Open Document