Throughout Hamlet, the characters consistently deceive each other to disguise their true intentions and actions. The first line of the play reads “Who’s there?” (Shakespeare, 7); these words foreshadow the multi-faceted aspects of the actors throughout the development of Shakespeare’s work. The characters deceive one another in order to achieve a specific longing for themselves. The motif of deception can be found throughout the play in the actions of Hamlet, Guildenstern, and Claudius. Hamlet’s deception stems from his yearning for revenge on his uncle. After Hamlet learns about the true nature of his father’s death, he begins demonstrating his hypocritical qualities. Hamlet attempts to mask his anger towards Claudius; he does not want