Hamlet Disguise
In Shakespeare's tragedy, Hamlet, the protean characters mask their true identity with misrepresentations, appearing to be one person on the outside, but on the inside we see an entirely different person. It is as almost the characters walk around with masks on to hide who they really are. Claudius appears to be a somewhat kind and caring person who is well liked throughout the kingdom. The audience knows his true face of being a murderous brother, brought to the throne by lust and envy. Both women in the play, Ophelia and Gertrude, use masks to cover what is obvious to the audience: their pain and suffering. Finally, Hamlet hides in the sanctity of his madness, whether it be real or pretend, not showing anyone his indecisive and spiteful nature. Only the audience is able to see the real, true characters in the play because of their insecurities and frailties to each other. This theme of masking develops further throughout the play as the characters try to cover their secret intentions, desires, and fears with a portrayal of an entirely different person. Claudius is a well liked king, as a leader in the state of Denmark who portrays himself as a caring and friendly person. Claudius want
This is the Claudius that the audience sees through his dialogue: a loving, caring husband who appears to want to help his grieving nephew. However, the audience also learns of the malicious actions of Claudius through King Hamlet's ghost. He commits regicide by killing the king of Denmark, Hamlet's father and his brother. He makes sure that his actions are covert so not to be caught. Claudius then commits the act of incest with Hamlet's mother and his brother's wife, Gertrude, "O, most wicked to post/ With such dexterity to incestuous sheets!" (I.ii.161-162). Although his actions are legally not considered incest, in the realm of the play, both Hamlet and King Hamlet consider Claudius and Gertrude's marriage incest. At the conclusion of the play, Claudius lets Gertrude drink the poison, merely suggesting that she should not "Gertrude, do not drink...It is the poisoned cup. It is too late" (V.ii.317,319). Claudius indirectly kills Gertrude by allowing her to drink the poison filled cup, and does not express any remorse for his so called loving wife. As the audience sees, Claudius puts a mask of loving and caring, but truly he is a self-serving, cold, remorseless, calculating man. Whether he makes Hamlet stay in the castle, or pretend like he loves a woman and then allows her to die, he will do anything to keep his corrupted throne. But, we do see that Claudius is not all evil when he repents for his sins "there the action lies/ In his true nature, and we ourselves compelled...to give in evidence" (III,iii,65-68). Here, the audience sees Claudius separate his mask from his identity when he realizes that even though he wears redemption like his outside self, his real self cannot surrender the hideous and horrific crimes and sins that he commits. In this brief moment, the audience sees the caring and loving person that Claudius portrays himself to be. Unfortunately, these traits are not consistent and he goes on to indirectly murder three more people (Laertes, Gertrude, and Hamlet) before his reign of terror ends by the same sword that takes Hamlet's life. The two women in the play, Ophelia and Gertrude, both mask the harsh cruelties in their lives. Hamlet's ambivalence towards Ophelia leads her to believe that he loves her. He writes her poems and sonnets professing his love, in a schoolboy like fashion, "I love thee best, O most best, believe it" (II.ii.129-130). Conversely, in every other act than the first one, Hamlet is nothing but incessantly cruel to Ophelia. After Ophelia denies Hamlet's visit, he proclaims to her face that he never loved her and she misunderstood his words and actions, even though she says that she is now ready to love him, "You should not have believ
Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 1829
Approximate Pages = 7 (250 words per page double spaced)
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