Reality and Illusion in Shakespeares Hamlet - Appearance vs. Truth :: Shakespeare Hamlet Essays

Hamlet Appearance vs. Reality       One of the most famous and popular authors and script writers is WilliamShakespeare.  Shakespeare has always been able to create interesting charactersand one and only(a) of the reasons they are so interesting might be that they are complexpeople with their inner selves differing from their outer selves. Are thecharacters in Hamlet the same on the inside as they appear to be on the outside?The characters in William Shakespeares Hamlet can be studied in a mannerrelating to mien versus reality. Some of these characters are Claudius,Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, and Hamlet.      One character who enables us to examine the theme of appearance versusreality is Claudius, the new King of Denmark. In Act One, Scene twain Claudiusacts as though he really cares for his brother and grieves over the elderHamlets death. This is shown in his first speech addressed to his court, andthat it us befitted/To bear ou r hearts in grief, and our whole kingdom/To becontracted in one brow of woe (Shakespeare I22-4).  It is shown further on inthe same speech when he says, our latterly dear brothers death (ShakespeareI219).  However, this is not how Claudius truly feels about his brothers death,for Claudius is the one who murders elder Hamlet.  We see the proof of this inClaudius soliloquy when he appears to be praying O, my offence is rank, itsmells to heaven./It hath the primal eldest curse upont/A brothers murder(Shakespeare III336-38).      Another make love which Claudius fakes is the love he has towards his nephew andstepson, Hamlet.  In his first speech to his court Claudius tells Hamlet not to go away for school but to remain in Denmark It is most retrograde to ourdesire/And we do beseech you, bend you to remain/Here in the cheer and hold dearof our eye (Shakespeare I2114-117). However, later in the play Claudiusdevelops a plan to send Hamlet away from D enmark with the aid of Rosencrantz andGuildenstern And he Hamlet to England shall along with you R & G(Shakespeare III34).  Claudius also refers to himself as Thy loving father,Hamlet (Shakespeare IV350) but when Hamlet is out of the room a few momentslater Claudius has a complete change of face in which he reveals his plan tohave Hamlet executed Our sovereign process, which imports at full/By letterscongruing to that effect/The present death of Hamlet (Shakespeare IV363-65).      Even the love Claudius showed for Gertrude can be questioned in itsvalidity.  Claudius, near the beginning of the play, appears to be happy about