When Hamlet exclaims that “The play’s the thing/ Wherein I’ll catch the conscience of the King,” Shakespeare suggests that life is like a play, full of actors, and expects the audience to identify their morals by watching the scene unfold (2.2.633-34). Throughout the tragedy, characters like Claudius, Hamlet and Ophelia are forced to hide their true intentions and establish a new persona for themselves, whether as a worthy King, a mad Prince or a secure woman. Although the new identities help them keep the throne, carry out their revenge or seek protection, these conflicting behaviors eventually lead the characters in Hamlet to their untimely death.
As man who kills his own brother, the King, Claudius is not simply a murderer, but also a traitor. By manipulating the royal court as well as Queen Gertrude, Claudius interferes with Prince Hamlet’s natural right to the throne. With his thirst for power and ruthlessness, the new King is incapable of sympathizing with his family. For instance, when Gertrude reports her tragic meeting with Hamlet to Claudius, he overlooks the need to …show more content…
Claudius is eaten up by guilt, but tries to satisfy himself with the throne. In the meantime, Hamlet is consumed by revenge and thus becomes blind to what the future holds and those he loves. Ophelia hides her suffering and confusion, and instead seeks protection from the men in her life; when she loses her father and boyfriend, her her inability to cope drives her to suicide. Although masks can serve as defense as well as offense, it is this pretense that causes the decay of reality. When the Prince confesses his dream of becoming as good of an actor in real life as a player is on stage, Shakespeare expects the audience to relate with such wishes and learn the consequences of conflicting beliefs and behaviors, in hopes that Hamlet’s tragic ending will repeat
As man who kills his own brother, the King, Claudius is not simply a murderer, but also a traitor. By manipulating the royal court as well as Queen Gertrude, Claudius interferes with Prince Hamlet’s natural right to the throne. With his thirst for power and ruthlessness, the new King is incapable of sympathizing with his family. For instance, when Gertrude reports her tragic meeting with Hamlet to Claudius, he overlooks the need to …show more content…
Claudius is eaten up by guilt, but tries to satisfy himself with the throne. In the meantime, Hamlet is consumed by revenge and thus becomes blind to what the future holds and those he loves. Ophelia hides her suffering and confusion, and instead seeks protection from the men in her life; when she loses her father and boyfriend, her her inability to cope drives her to suicide. Although masks can serve as defense as well as offense, it is this pretense that causes the decay of reality. When the Prince confesses his dream of becoming as good of an actor in real life as a player is on stage, Shakespeare expects the audience to relate with such wishes and learn the consequences of conflicting beliefs and behaviors, in hopes that Hamlet’s tragic ending will repeat