Appearance/Reality in Hamlet
...ver this is not how Claudius truly feels about his brother’s death as he murdered Hamlet Sr. We see proof of his doings in Claudius’ soliloquy when he looks as though he is praying; “O, my offence is rank, it smells to heaven./It hath the primal eldest curse upon’t/A brother’s murder” . Claudius also fakes his love towards his nephew and stepson, Hamlet. In his first speech to his court Claudius tells Hamlet not to leave school but to remain in Denmark, “It is most retrograde to our desire/And we do beseech you, bend you to remain/Here in the cheer and comfort of our eye” . However, later in the play Claudius develops a plan to send Hamlet away from Denmark with the help oh Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, “And he to England shall along with you” . Claudius also refers to himself as “Thy loving father, Hamlet” , but when Hamlet exits the room Claudius reveals his plan to have Hamlet killed, “Our sovereign process, which imports at full/By letters congruing to that effect/The present death of Hamlet” . Even the love Claudius has for Gertrude can be questioned. In the beginning of the play Claudius appears to be happy with his marriage to Gertrude, but during the final scene he does nothing to prevent Gertrude from drinking the poisoned drink but say, “Gertrude , do not drink” . Another character who allows us to take a good look at appearances versus reality is Hamlet himself. A good example of this theme would be Hamlet’s “antic disposition” which we learn later is just an act, “I am but mad north-north-west: when the wind/is southerly I know a hawk from a handsaw” . Hamlet puts on such a good act he even fools his mother, “Alas, he’s mad” , and Claudius, “nor stands it safe with us/To let his madness range” . Hamlet also appears to...