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The Poison Of Facades In Shakespeare's Hamlet

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The poison of facades. It has become human nature to react to the elements that surround you, whether physical or emotional in value, and due to this reason, in William Shakespeare's Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, poison spread- starting with King Claudius until it affected Denmark in its entirety. “That one may smile, and smile, and be a villain” (1.5.105-109 ). Even the nicest of people can easily have an ulterior motive, deception plays a major theme in Hamlet. Take, for example, King Claudius; Claudius murders his own brother, who has become the King and Hamlets’ father. However, the only person who knows of this until the last few scenes of the play will be Hamlet, and throughout the entire play, King Claudius portrays himself to his disciples as a kind and courteous King. “Though yet of Hamlet our dear …show more content…

Claudius started the first facade the day he took the throne, he sits upon a throne of lies and deceit. In almost all of the Kings lines he pretends to really care about Hamlet and the court's best interests but in reality …show more content…

Polonius does in fact have a daughter, who Hamlet previously courted against Polonius’ wishes. As Hamlet continues to act crazy everyone who sees him generally starts to believe that his father’s death, his mother’s hasty marriage, or a love he can not have anymore must have driven him to madness- even though the antic-disposition has no real mirth. “I feared he did but trifle And meant to wrack thee. But beshrew my jealousy!” (2.2.81) Polonius speaks this line about Hamlet’s feelings towards Ophelia- which in retrospect appear very muffled and hard to comprehend throughout the play due to Hamlet putting on an antic-disposition; the reader never quite knows if Hamlet loves Ophelia or

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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.

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(3.1.43-49) Polonius orders Ophelia to distract Hamlet even though he knows the emotional distress it will cause her. He is the reason Ophelia breaks ties with Hamlet, yet he is willing to throw her at him for his own gain. Polonius cannot rationalize that spying on Hamlet is less important than his daughter’s mental stability. His utter selfishness makes him incapable of making rational decisions that are beneficial to both himself, and his children. Polonius gives good advice that he does not take himself, showing his bad decision making.

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