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Hamlet Appearance Vs Reality Essay

1537 Words7 Pages

William Shakespeare’s tragedies comprise of a tragic hero, who contains a tragic flaw, and conflicts, that lead to the hero’s demise and the demolition of others. Hamlet is a revenge play that has enwoven the significance of appearance versus reality. Shakespeare’s Hamlet encompasses a tragic hero, Hamlet, whose internal conflict of contemplating the intricacies of what is real versus fake, is his major flaw. Throughout the play, the components of appearance versus reality are crucial to the plot of the play. The venality, deception, and troubling intentions that enshroud the play cause the disastrous demise of every main character. Several complex characters in the play drastically modify their appearance in order to involve themselves in …show more content…

With the decease of his father and the marriage between his uncle and mother, Hamlet begins to hate the way things are around him. Gertrude asks Hamlet, "Why seems it so particular with thee?" Hamlet replies, "Seems Madam? Nay it is. I know not seems” (I.ii.77-8). Hamlet’s black clothing is an exact reflection of the deep sorrow in his heart. With this line, Shakespeare utilizes the theme of appearance versus reality to emphasize Hamlet's devotion to the truth in comparison to appearance. Hamlet believes that Gertrude and Claudius are appearing to be sad about the King’s sudden death, when in fact he is the only one who is truly mourning it. Claudius, who seems to be a very capable king, is in reality a murderer and a usurper. While talking to Hamlet, the ghost of his father says that “by a brother’s hand” the taking “Of life, of crown, of queen” is the cause (I.v.79-80). Claudius’ lack of the truth and the concealment of the reality of his traitorous deed leads Hamlet to become irrational. Hamlet struggles to believe if the appearance of the ghost was that of “a spirit of health or goblin damned”, due to the anguishes of the deceit he is a bystander to (I.iv.43). The shrewd deception of his uncle causes Hamlet to alter his appearance to a crazy young prince. Hamlet's insanity is a phony appearance in order to lure attention away from his peculiar endeavors while attempting to acquire evidence against Claudius. Thus, the cycle of deceit breading more deceit in the play

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