Without a doubt, appearance vs reality is a major topic in Hamlet.
Where do we see this topic? (Think specific scenes, quotations, characters) Look for moments when something "seems" or "is like" something else.
What conclusions can you draw about this topic?
What is Shakespeare suggesting, revealing, foreshadowing, etc?
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Hamlet is a perfect example of Appearance vs. Reality. He acts as though he is mad but in actuality he is not. He is just using that as an excuse to find out answers about his father's death. The Play that is performed by the actors is also an example of this because it appears to be a form of entertainment for everyone to enjoy. But the alternate motive is for Hamlet to find out if the ghost is telling him the truth about his father's death. So from the examples in this play, reality is not always what is shown on the surface but a bit deeper. Shakespeare is trying to warn his readers to be careful and to be conscious of who they trust.
I think this is seen when Hamlet stabs Polonius thinking that it was his uncle spying on him while talking to his mother. He cant see who he is stabing, it could be Ophelia for all he knows. I think this reveals that Hamlet is looking at this time in the play for any revenge. Its the first point he takes some kind of action and he kills the one man that is behind everything. Polonius knows all the secrets he is a middle man, a fish mongler (a pimp). Hamlet is aware of this but he is directing most of his revenge on his uncle. Shakespear is trying to show that revnge can sometimes mislead someones thoughts. Hamlet is so confused about who to trust he just starts stabing curtains that make noise.
Appearance vs. Reality in Hamlet is one of the main themes, no doubt. Hamlet acting insane is a cover, as well as Claudius marrying Gertrude to cover his murdering King Hamlet. The appearance of Hamlet's behavior is that he has gone mad; however, he is just acting crazy is just a cover-up for his true feelings about his father's death; it also covers up the fact that he knows Claudius killed his father.
The appearance of Claudius marrying Gertrude is that he loved her the whole time his brother was married to her; the readers know, however, that his marrying Gertrude is a way for him to conceal his murder of the King, as well as a way to get to the throne. The entire plot of Hamlet, as well as most any mystery, is appearance vs. reality; the true solution of the mystery is hidden, and a false facade is put on to hide the true story. Shakespeare uses this tactic to progress the mystery and foreshadows that the true reality will become clear in the end.
Appearance vs. Reality is a huge topic in Hamlet, and it can be found throughout the entire play. I think the biggest example is of the Ghost. Hamlet puts on the act of pretending to be mad so that he will get his way with things, but if my friend told me he saw a ghost, I would think he was crazy. We never know for certain that the ghost is actually King Hamlet, instead it is left up to our imagination whether we believe the men or not. Horatio says,"In the dead waste and middle of the night been thus encountered: a figure like your father." It is hard to ever know the true about this ghost, but since both Horatio and Marcellus saw the ghost first, we know that Hamlet didn't create this image himself.
Shakespeare might be suggesting that this wasn't actually what King Hamlet would want. He may not have ever intended for his son Hamlet to avenge his death.
Appearance vs. reality is everywhere within the novel, but to me, the most prevalent example begins when Hamlet starts pretending that he's crazy. He acts this way for appearances, but in reality his motives are to figure out the mystery of his father's sudden death. Pretty much everyone believes him and by being able to trick everyone so easily, Shakespeare foreshadows, that Hamlet will easily find out how his father died. & obviously, he does. Because the people around Hamlet believe his insanity so easily, who knows what other appearances they believe. Reality may be invisible to the naive people Hamlet is surrounded by.
The one thing that strikes me for the appearence vs. reality is the ghost of Hamlet's father; I know Graham asked in class why The night watch and Hamlet could see the ghost, and why Gertrude could not. Ghosts have always mystified me and I'm not completely convinced one way or the other on their existence, but the fact that some people can see this particular apparition and others can't seems almost contradictory. Hamlet's madnessalso seems to appear real at first, but I believe since he is so convincing in his madness to others, it becomes a sort of excuse for some of his actual madness later on. The ghost in the scene with Gertrude and Hamlet may have been a figment of Hamlet's imagination, and a result of his actual madness after feigning it for so long.
Specific instances of "appearance vs. reality" include Act 1, Scene 2 when Hamlet and Gertrude are talking about how death is a common thing and Gertrude says, "Why seems it so particular with thee?" Hamlet replies, "'Seems,' madam?" and describes all these things one would do if they were sad and then says "These indeed 'seem' for they are actions that a man might play; But I have that within which passes show." I like how he points out that it really doesn't matter what his outward display of grief is, what matters is that he IS grieving. Another example is in Act 1, Scene 5 when the Ghost appears to Hamlet and says, "That adulterate beast...won to his shameful lust the will of my most seeming-virtuous queen." Obviously, she was not as virtuous as he thought. Also in Act 2, Scene 2 when Claudius is hiring Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to spy on Hamlet, he tells them, "Something have you heard of Hamlet's transformation, so call it, sith nor th' exterior nor the inward man resembles that it was." Rosencrantz and Guildernstern's attempts to find out what is going on beneath Hamlet's surface end in failure and death. Perhaps Shakespeare is suggesting that one can never truly know the full reality behind appearances. One can never really know what is going on in another person's mind.
Hamlet is a perfect example of appearance vs reality. This can be seen in how he acts when he pretends to go insane. The main reason Hamlet even uses his sanity was to get answers of how and why his father died, and mother remairried so early. Also, Shakespeare uses the play within a play to recieve a guilt from Claudius about King Hamlets death. He uses this to also have a "background" check on what the ghost is revealing. The appearance vs reality might be considered to show the reader that not everything is as it seems.
One sign of appearence can be scene in Claudius's characher. He tries really hard to make himself seem like a willing and loving parent to Hamlet, but the truth is the exact opposite. One way to see this is that in certain scenes, her refers to Hamlet as "our" or "my" son, which any parent woul do. However, in other scenes, usually when he talks to Gertrude, he calls Hamlet "your" son.This shos that he doesn't really see Hamlet as his son, but he wants it to appear that way to the country.
Obviously, this is not the only time when this topic is introduced. It is used throughout the play and actually a mode of dramatic irony, because the audience knows what is going on, but the characters are puzzled by the appearence.
The first charcter that had thisa trait that I originally thought of was the ghost. He is there, but whether or not he is real is debated by the watchmen and Hamlet, and his invisibility to Gertrude puzzles her and enforces the idea of Hamlet's fake insanity.
I think that Shakespeare uses appearence vs reality to show show what he believes to be true human character and to foreshadow events throughout the play.
Both Hamlet and Claudius are good examples of appearance vs. reality. Hamlet appears to be crazy, but he is actually scheming to kill Claudius. Claudius appears to be sad over his brother's death, but he actually murdered his brother. I think the two opposing characters in the play are the ones who put up the biggest facade.
This could be Shakespeare's way of saying that trust is something that should be taken very seriously. A person shouldn't take anything at face value, and friends may not always have your best interest at heart.
I always wondered if the ghost in the story was real or not. It was seen by some people, but others like Gertrude couldn't see it. This could represent the appearance vs. reality theme as well.
In my opinion, Claudius is the perfect example of appearance vs. reality. To everyone except Hamlet, he seems like a caring step father and a loving husband to his new bride. Only Hamlet knows that he is not all that he seems. Claudius killed his brother, is scheming to kill his nephew, wakes up next to his dead brother's wife every morning, and is still able to function as a ruler of Denmark without giving himself away. The other example of appearance vs. reality in a smaller scale is Ophelia. She loves Hamlet yet still plots against him in order to help and obey her father. Hamlet believes he can trust her but he should know otherwise.
Hamlet seems like he's crazy but he says he's really not; Claudius seems like he's nice and loving but really he is self-centered and will go to extremes to get what he wants. Claudius always seems like he's uninvolved. For example, Claudius convinces Laertes that he had nothing to do with his father's death, but in reality he had asked Polonius to spy on Hamet and the Queen. If he had never asked Polonius to do that, he would have never died. The ghost is also an image of reality versus illusion. The guards and Hamlet can see him but the Queen can't so it makes me wonder what about the Queen that makes her different from them.
I think that the ghost proves that the Queen does not fully accept Claudius' guilt at the time that Hamlet tells her the truth. The ghost in this instance stands for the truth or reallity but the Queen only sees it as an illusion at the time.
Shakespeare reveals that illusions can cause many problems. Deceitful personalities can create problems between characters, such as Laertes and Hamlet.
Appearance vs. reality appears in many parts in the novel, but the most prevalent part in the novel is when the ghost of Hamlet's father appears to him. The ghost appears to be good and trustworthy to Hamlet because it is his own father, but it could be evil because the ghost himself says that his came from a place that burns away his sins until he is cleansed form all his earthly sins. This place could either be hell of purgatory. The ghost could even be the devil in a different form taking advantage of Hamlet's tragic flaw, his emotions. This persuasion by the devil could foreshadow his path to craziness and death. I think that through this scene Shakespeare is suggesting that everything in life is not as great as it appears to be even though you think that it is okay. Ultimately I think that he is saying, think before you act.
Appearance vs. Reality is shown all throughout the play. When Hamlet pretends to be mad in order to find out more about the circumstances of his fathers death is one example. Another example would be when Hamlet mistakenly stabs Polonius through the curtin thinking it is his uncle. Another example is the play because it appears that it is for simple entertainment but it is really showing how Hamlet's father was murdered and to prove that it was Claudius who murdered him judging by his reaction to seeing it. I think Shakespeare is trying to show that most things are not simply what they appear, but rather you have to dig a little deeper to find the true meaning behind things.
Appearance vs. Reality is very obvious to me through claudius. He gives off the appearance to Hamlet that he wants to be a good new parent and king. He tries to help Hamlet move past the grief of his father's death in a way that seems like he is trying to be helpful. But we are not naieve and can see the reality that lies beneath Claudius' "good guy" front. He is really manipulative and controlling and only appearing to be nice in order to kill hamlet,not only controling hamlet's actions and emotions, but controlling his life. Claudius' appearance is the opposite of who he really is.
I think that the biggest example of appearance vs. reality is Hamlet's state of mourning and the drive for his revenge. At the beginning of the play, Hamlet is the only one still in mourning for his late father. He appears to be doing this out of remembrance and respect for his father. The same applies to his desire for revenge; he seems to be doing it to respect his father. Later, Hamlet reveals his true intentions. Through his soliloquys and actions, he reveals that he is making this ordeal all about himself. He often looses sight of his goal because he is too concerned about his feelings emotions and how the events of the play affect him. In the end, his revenge is to make himslef happy, and no longer to honor his father.
I think Hamlet is the most important example of Apearance vs. Reality. He pretends to be insane but in actual reality he is not. He acts this way in order to fufill his father's ghost's plan for revenge. He wants to appear that he is crazy in order to not draw attention that he knows the truth about how his father died. Claudius is also another example of this. He marries Gertrude in order to cover up his murder, but Hamlet can see through this appearance. When Hamlet stabs Polonius because he believes that it is the king but in reality it is only Polonius.
At the very beginning of the play, the guards do not know whether the ghost is really that of Hamlet's father or just their imagination. Also, it appears to Hamlet than Polonius is actually Claudius hiding behind the curtain. It turns out that this causes Laertes to seek revenge on Hamlet and actually kill him with his poisonous blade at the end of the play. I think that throughout the whole play Shakespeare basically reemphasizes the theme that what goes around comes around. Claudius tried to kill Hamlet with the poisonous drink, but he ended up murdering his own wife, and he is killed by Hamlet because of this mistake.
In Hamlet, the most obvious example of appearance vs. reality is Hamlet's madness. In reality, Hamlet is as sane as everyone else around him(who are not very sane at all) but he appears to be insane in order to find out what really heppened to his father. Also, appearance vs. reality comes into play when hamlet kills Polonius thinking that he is his uncle Claudius. I think that the topic of appearance vs reality is being used to comment on human nature. Almost no one is who they appear to be, always having an underlying character. Shakespeare uses this theme to suggest that maybe the ghost or Hamlet's father are not what they seem.
Throughout the play Claudius appears to be nice and trustworthy to everyone, when he has actually been decietful to the entire royal family. Claudius convinces Laertes to fight Hamlet for no reason, saying that he intentionally killed Polonius out of spite and saying the things just to make him mad. Claudius, to Laertes, appears to be kind and wise, but in reality he is vindictive and spiteful. Shakespeare is suggesting that people put up a front to hide their true intentions or their true personalities.
In Hamlet I believe that appearance versus reality best viewed in the actions of Hamet himself when he "pretends" to have gone mad. I think that in this case the relationship can be viewed in two ways; that reality and appereance are the same and that they are difference. This is ba=ecasue it is pbvious that Hamlet has gone overt the top in pretending to have gone mad, however, I think that to a certain point he really has gone mad. Therefore I believe that the realationship could go either way becasue in reality he could be either pretending or not however the appearance of madness is the same.
I think that one moment something seems like something else is pretty much Claudius all together. He seems like he's a nice guy, but he's not. Hes a backstabber. He made is seem like he wanted to be that loving father figure and just take up where hamlets dad did. but no, he had to go off and kill his own brother and then kill his wife and nephew. He just seems like an all around family man ! But really. I think that you just can't trust some people that you would think would be nice and caring for you because they are family. If that makes any sense...I can't figure out a way to type it out. I think what I'm trying to say is that you can't always trust your family. They could turn around and kill your dad and then marry your mom and then kill you. So you just never know.
I think Shakespeare was foreshadowing a backstabbing from the very start. I knew a lot of people were going to die before I even started reading because, well, its Shakespeare. But it seems like he was trying to tell us that you have to be careful with who you trust because even the people who you think would never turn on you, they might turn on you one day, and kill you. well maybe not to that extent, but they could hurt you somehow.
A great example of the appearence VS reality idea can be found in Claudius' speech to Hamlet as he asks him to quit mourning for his father. On surface level, it seems as if Clausius is trying to comfort Hamlet, but he is really just insulting him and pushing the subject to another one. Also, the ghost and Hamlet's "insanity" fit this theme.Shakespeare is attempting to push us to analyze his characters. Who is fake? Who is being honest? Who wears a mask and who is up-front? In my opinion, he does this for the purpose of character analyzation.
I think the Ghost is the most obvious example of this because ghosts are usually fiction; however, he appears to Hamlet and the others as the actual King. In the very first scene, the guards were talking about how they thought the Ghost looked like that of the late King, but they reasoned that it was in their imagination until Hamlet was able to confirm it in scene 5. (of Act 1)
Shakespeare is revealing that not everything is as it really seems (sorry its cliche), because even though the Ghost was able to provide Hamlet with the truth of his murder, he encouraged the revenge factor that screwed everyone over in the end!
I think that Hamlet himself is a representation of appearance vs. reality. He is pretending to be mad, but in reality he is sane. I think is is also interesting to note how Hamlet, although he appears to the reader as an individual seeking only revenge, in reality, Hamlet morals and conscious get in the way of his revenge. In addition, the play is a "visual" representation of appearance vs. reality. Hamlet himself wonders how the actors can appear to put such great emotion into the play, yet he, with all the motive to seek revenge, cannot bring himself to do it. This is demonstrated in Hamlet's soliliquy in Act II>
Appearance vs. Reality is a major part of Hamlet. The most obvious example would be Hamlet's act of madness and Claudius's elaborate speech where he says he will miss his brother. Also, I think Claudius's decision to try to pray is a good example. He wants to give off the appearance of repentance and need for forgiveness by praying, but in reality he is just afraid he will be caught and doesn't want to seem guilty. In Act 1, Scene 3, Polonius plays the part of the loving father by giving his son advice before he leaves, but it was only an act. He gets Reynaldo to go spy on his son and say bad things about him to see how the people react in order to find out the truth. I think Shakespeare is saying that others cannot always be relied on to be true, so people must learn to be true to themselves, as Polonius said. He reveals that people must come to the truth within themselves. We never find out if the ghost was real, so Hamlet really could have just imagined it to confirm his fear that his father was murdered. The truth cannot be found through manipulatiing and deceiving everyone. Shakespeare reveas that the reader cannot take the characters at face value, because they might not be reliable. Hamlet's puns are an example of this because they have a different meaning under the surface. When Ophelia begins to act crazy, her rantings actually have meaning to them. Her songs and the flowers she gives the queen and king reveal how she truly feels towards them, even though she seems crazy outwardly. Hamlet explains this concept of appearance vs. reality when he talks about grief: "These indeed 'seem,' for they are actions that a man might play. But I have that witin which passeth show, these but the trappings and the suits of woe." This foreshadows Claudius's false grief. Anyone can seem to outwardly grieve, but it is the inner stife that is true.
The topic of appearance vs. reality is shown in many places throughout Hamlet. For instance, everyone thinks Hamlet is crazy, especially when he shows up in Ophelia's room, but readers know that he really isn't crazy. Cluadius seems like a good person to everyone else but Hamlet knows better because the ghost told him that Cludius is really a murderer. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern seem to be real friends of Hamlet's but we know that they are actually spying for the King and Queen. The conclusion to be drawn from this is that things almost always seem different from what they really are and each person must make sure for themselves what is really going on.
Shakespeare is trying to show the true motives of people through the reality vs. appearance in his play.
appearance vs. reality is seen throughout "Hamlet". the entire play is based off of deception and mystery. the constant spying and deep inner malice the characters have is never acted out until the end. the ghost is especially a key symbol for appearance vs. reality; it can only be seen by Hamlet and is a true enigma. also, the deception vs. reality style is prevalent to Shakespeare, he often creates the dramatic, deep seated characters who lash out in the end--it adds to the drama of it all.
Hamlet is a perfect example of Reality vs Appearance for several reasons. We first see this with the ghost who appears to be King Hamlet. Then Hamlet pretends to be insane when he really isn't. Also, it appears to everyone except Hamlet that King Claudius is a good guy. It's cliche, but nothing is ever a it appears. I think the whole time th ghost appears and Hamlet is acting mad, it foreshadows the madness at the end where everyone is killed.
Appearance vs. Reality...
There are some pretty obvious instances of this. Hamlet appears to be insane, but the reader and Horatio know that it only a front so he can figure out if Claudius murdered the king. Also, the spies that the king and queen use against Hamlet illustrate this topic. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern appear to be Hamlet's friends, but in reality they are plotting against him to aid the king and queen. Someone mentioned when Polonius was behind the curtain in the queen's room, Hamlet kills him because he thinks it is the king. I personally think that is a little bit of a stretch, but I can see how it is appearance vs. reality. I think Shakespeare is trying to show that not everything is what it appears to be in life. We can't trust our parents, or our friends. He is telling readers to be weary of our surroundings. As Polonius tells Laertes, "Give every man thy ear, but few thy voice."
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are two minor characters that contribute a major example of the topic of appearance vs. reality. Although foiled, their plot demonstrates a very negative side of this topic. On the surface,
they are dear friends that respect Hamlet's royalty. In reality, however, they are just conspirators guised by their false friendliness. Their execution is a hyperbolic example of the consequences of putting up a facade.
Where do we see this topic? (Think specific scenes, quotations, characters) Look for moments when something "seems" or "is like" something else.
First, the "play within the play" is a perfect example of something appearing to be something else. The play is very similar to how Claudius murdered his brother. It can be concluded that appearances and reality will usually not be one in the same. Looks, because of its superficial quality, can be very deceiving and at often times, it is. Shakespeare is suggesting that one's identity or true motives is not revealed through their physical identity but rather through their words and actions.
What conclusions can you draw about this topic?
What is Shakespeare suggesting, revealing, foreshadowing, etc?
Appearance versus reality is one of the driving forces of the plot. Hamlet appears mad so he can figure out the truth of the murder. Polonius appears to be Claudius behind the curtain, thus getting him slain. It all started because Claudius married Gertrude under the appearance that he loved her. The ghost could technically be an issue of appearance versus reality, as he appears only to few but is not a reality to many.
I think Shakespeare is suggesting that the world is not as it seems, and that people jump to conclusions. Clearly Shakespeare's tragedy displays the worst-case scenario.
One of the most prevalent examples of appearance vs. reality is when Hamlet strikes through the drapes to kill Polonius. Hamlet thinks he has killed his uncle in rash bit of rage; however, he kills Polonius. This moment marks the climax of the play and Hamlet's most unpredictable state. His decision has so little preemptive thought that I was unsure of what exactly happened the first time I read. Upon reading the scene again I understood that Shakespeare is putting little thought to make people realize what thirst for revenge can do to a person. In this case, revenge has (excuse the theme of Invisible Man) blinded Hamlet. He strikes out killing someone he never truly sought to kill. Shakespeare is trying to show that revenge can destroy a person's ability to rationalize situations.
Three things that I can think of that appear different than how they truly are are:
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern-they appear to be Hamlet's friends but really they are spying on him by request of Claudius and Gertrude
King Claudius-he appears to be a at first grieved brother of the late King and then a happy husband of his brother's wife but really he is a murderer and possibly adulterer
Hamlet-appears to insane with grief, but really is only trying to find out the truth about his father's death
The conclusion I can draw from these examples is that Hamlet's society is twisted and not everyone can be trusted and believed.
Shakespeare uses this topic to characterize the characters in the novel and foreshadow their demise.
One example of apperance vs. reality in Hamlet is his stabbing of Polonius who is hiding behind the curtain. This scene is one of the few in which Hamlet acts without thinking his actions through completly and making sure that he is correct in his assumptions. Shakespeare is attempting to reveal the danger in acting in rage or any type of emotion.
Another example is the ghost, he appears to be a good ghost and a representation of King Hamlet, yet Hamlet doubts the ghost and considers that it may in fact be the devil in disguise. This shows his over-anaylitical nature and how that too can be dangerous.
Through the use of Appearance vs. reality situations, Shakespeare is able to assert that it is necessary to have a mix between the two extremes. Over thinking things can be just as dangerous as acting purely on emotion and vice versa. Also it foreshadows the scene where everyone dies. Everyone dies because people are rested on each of the extremes and they are unable to find a happy medium.
One instance of appearance vs. reality that really stuck out to me was the scene in which Hamlet is speaking to the queen, moments before he kills Polonius. He begins to badger the queen when his father's spirit appears and reminds him of his focus. Hamlet references the ghost to his mother, only to discover she cannot see him. I took this several different ways. I thought that perhaps the queen was tightly rolled into the murder of her husband and, thus, cannot see the ghost. I also thought that Hamlet may, in fact, be insane. After all, Ophelia was driven to madness after the death of her father, why not Hamlet as well? After thinking about the rest of the play with that mindset, it makes sense to conclude such. I'm not sure that was the exact way Shakespeare intended it to be viewed, but it does offer an alternative point of view that is very interesting.
The first example of apperance vs reality in Hamlet is when Hamlet is acting like a mad man. But really we as the reader have already been let in on his plan. At every turn to the next page there seems to be a scene of apperance vs. reality. Others include the multi-motive play put on by the players and Hamlet that is used as entertainment but really is Hamlets way of looking into his uncle's conscience.
An quote example is one of Hamlets first lines as he converses with his mother and comments on her statement of it "seems."
One can conclude on this topic that looks can be decieving and never take something for face value at first glance. Shakespere suggest or reveals that one should not be so accepting of thing and should instead question things and in a sense whatch your back. Because as we see later everyone ends up dying after not whatching their own backs very well.
Appearance vs reality can be seen with many of Hamlet's relationships with others. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern portray themsleves as Hamlet's friends just coming to be by his side, while they are deviously working for Claudius and Gertrude to spy on Hamlet and practically betray him. Claudius appears to be a caring father figure for Hamlet, while he is really his father's murderer and the mind behind Hamlet's eventual demise.
AS for the ghost, it appears as King Hamlet's ghost who is there for the good will of young Hamlet, but he drives him crazy and leads him to his death, meaning that it could have a been a demonic omen to kill Hamlet.
There is a great example of appearance vs. reality in the first act with Francisco and Bernardo first spot the ghost. Because the two never actually state that the ghost is the king, but rather they rather suggest that it "seems" like the king. I found this interesting that Hamlet blindly goes looking after a ghost that only appears to be like his father. At this point, I think Hamlet was looking for a sense of direction for him to take action, but I do not think it truly mattered where this direction came from. Shakespeare wants the readers to know that it may be impossible for people to see completely beyond appearance.
Appearance versus reality is an obvious theme in Hamlet mainly because of Hamlet's feigned madness. He uses the appearance of madness to help advance his knowledge in the real world of what really happed with his father. Even Hamlet not taking the ghost's story as truth right of the bat shows appearance versus reality, at least the suspicion of the reality being different from the appearance of what the ghost said. Another way this play uses appearance versus reality is all the spying that takes place. Ophelia keeps an eye on Hamlet, and so do Rosencrantz and Guildenstein as well. Laertes is also supposed to be watched while he is in France so that they can make sure he is behaving correctly there. All of these things reflect appearance versus reality.
Happy Halloween!
Hamlet, the Ghost, Claudius, Rosencrantz, and Guildenstern all exemplify appearance vs. reality. Hamlet attempts to fool Claudius and Gertrude by acting insane. This is ironic because Hamlet is in fact steadily losing his sanity as a result from his father's death. This can be seen during Act 3 when he talks in an obscene conduct towards Ophelia; if he was thinking in a rational manner Hamlet would have tried to win Ophelia over, instead of pushing her farther away. The Ghost of King Hamlet should uphold the once reigning king's morals and noble attributes. The spirit, however, only seeks revenge and longs for Hamlet to kill Claudius. Statements such as, "My hour is almost come when to sulph'rous and tormenting flames I must render up myself," suggest that the ghost is from purgatory or somewhere worse. Claudius is portrayed to the reader as dishonest and scheming throughout the work, but he puts up a false front to his peers. He tries to behave in a sympathetic manner towards Hamlet, when really he only wants Hamlet to forget about his father and his death. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are old friends of Hamlet that betray their friendship by spying on him. They,as well as every other major character, are killed in the final scenes of the work. Shakespeare presents deception and treacherous acts in his work to illustrate the imminent harmful consequences that will follow.
Hamlet himself is an example of appearance vs. reality. For most of the play, Hamlet is trying to convince everyone that he is insane. In reality he is very sane and is only using insanity as a means of drawing out confirmation of his father's murder. The King is another good example. He appears concerned for Hamlet and wants everyone to think that he is this nice guy who married Hamlets mother in order to fill in for her dead husband and blah blah blah but in reality he is an evil, scheming, though somewhat remorseful, maniacal, crazy, murderous monster of a man who only wants the crown.
Hamlet's insanity is the first and most prominant example of appearance vs. reality. He only acts insane to find out information about his father's death and his uncle's role in it. Also, Claudius is acting as if he truly loves Hamlet as a son, even though he does not. He calls him "his son" at the beginning, but then he says "your son" to Gertrude. This is the appearance of love, but it is really not there. I think Shakespeare is giving us a heads up that literally, there is always more than meets the eye.
In Hamlet,appearance vs. reality does play a major role. When Claudius acts like he is sad over King Hamlet's death, he is actually the one responsible for it. Also, Hamlet acts as if he is insane. Actually, he is just acting like it to find out Claudius' guilt. I think that appearance and reality blur at times because Hamlet lets his act take over him. I think Shakespeare is trying to prove that when appearance and reality come together, it can either be a good or bad thing.
Hamlet is clearly a play designed to display appearance vs. reality. One of the most interesting topics came to my mind. This topic, fake love, was introduced in my seventh period class. It would appear to readers that a king and a queen would have a happy marriage. However, Gertrude's sudden remarriage with Claudius may be an indication that she actually loved him more than she loved King Hamlet. This is Shakespeare's way of foreshadowing deception that begins from the very beginning of the play. The reader later realizes that deception occurs in many places throughout the play.
By the way, this is BEN on Chris's account. For some reason, my computer would not let me log on my account, sry Mrs. Charbonnet
Appearance vs. Reality is a recurring theme in Hamlet. Claudius appears to be true and honest but in reality is infested with evil. He pretends to have so much love and respect for his brother and nephew, when he is actually his brother's murderer. Based on this, you can conclude that you can't trust anyone-- not even family. Shakespeare foreshadows Claudius's attempt to poison Hamlet through the revealing of Claudius's murdering of his brother.
The act I have for my group contains a huge foreshadowing of the plot of the play. In the speech the actor acts out for Hamlet, Pyhrrus kills Priam and Hecuba is left heartbroken and in anguish. In the scene, Hamlet can be inserted for Pyhrrus, the young Greek who slays Priam, or Cladious in the story of Hamlet. Hecuba can likewise be seen as Gertrude, who is somewhat innocent of the actions in the play, but guilty and pitiful when faced with her faults. As in the actors story, Claudius dies and lady fortune is also killed, symbolizing the death of all characters in the play.
An example would be when Hamlet mistakes Polonius for Claudius and he stabs him through tapestry. I think the tapestry is symbolic of the generations of bloodstain (via the royal family) that must be shed and is a foreshadowing of Hamlet's impending death.
I thought that Claudius was an excellent example of apperence vs. reality beause he was the one who killed King Hamlet, but he appears to be "fine and dainty." Also, Hamlet himself is helping Shakespeare suggest that things are not always as they seem; Hamlet shows in the beginning that his is slightly scared to kill Claudius because he says he wants to wait to see his reaction to the play, but that changes when in Act 4 he says from then on, all his thoughts would be bloody. When Hamlet acts mad, he really in his head is just trying to figure out what he can do to get over his father's death and mother's marriage to his uncle. Overall, Shakespeare uses appearance vs reality to tell readers not to make assumptions and to wait until you know the anwers before you act.
When I think of appearance versus reality in Hamlet, the first thing that comes to mind is Hamlet pretending to be crazy. Hamlet has most of the characters convinced that he is out of his mind. How he appears and how he is are very differnt.This situation creats irony, as we know somthing about Hamlet that others do not.
Appearence vs. reality shows up in Act one Scene one when the guards see the ghost and say it "seems like" the king. From the start, one of the play's major motifs is introduced. This question of "seeming vs. reality" holds true throughout the play as chracters plot to spy on one another and trick others into thinking differently. Ususllay though these ploys have disasterous results, like when Hamlet kills Polonious because it seems like the king is hiding under the curtain. Shakespeare is trying to tell his audiences to look beyond appearences to find the trure nature of someone.
Hamlet himself is an example of appearance vs. reality. He is pretending to be crazy, yet we know he really isn't. He is just pretending so that he can find out the truth about his father's death. The play that Hamlet asks the actors to perform is also an example of appearance vs. reality. Everyone thinks it is a play to just sit and enjoy, but Hamlet is really using it to watch his uncle and find out if he murdered his father. I think Shakespeare is trying to tell us not the take things at face value. There is always some hidden meaning under the surface.
It's Ashley...
My favorite example of appearance versus reality is Hamlet. How classic, to pretend to be crazy in order to figure out the truth. Lying to achieve honesty is a rather unconventional concept, but it works for him (except for the whole dying thing). People have careers based on lying, whereas Hamlet uses a more justifiable reason for his deceit. I actually think he got to the point where he may have become unreliable, because his lies had become so ingrained in his character.
I have Act One for the group project, so the first thought that came to mind was the first scene when the guardsmen say the ghost "appears" to be the king, and he "seems" to resemble what he looked like when he went off to battle. The mystery of the actual identity of this apparition is never fully known. The reader, as well as Hamlet just take the ghost's word that he is what, or who, he says he is.
The motif of unclear identity continues throughout the rest of the play. Claudius seems like a loving brother, a compassionate husband, and a kind stepfather, but in reality he is a coldhearted, greedy murderer. Even Hamlet himself is a part of this ongoing theme. He says he is a torn, confused, and angry son out for revenge for his father's untimely death. However he is indecisive and hesitant. He doesn't know how to act on his feelings, and is unsure how to address his circumstances.
I think Shakespeare is suggesting the overall vulnerability of humanity, both in weird circumstances as well as in situations with the appearance of security.
I think the best example of appreance vs reality is when Hamlet acts insane, espcially at the play within a play. I think Shakespeare meant for this to be funny to the reader, because we know that Hamlet is very smart and logical, yet he is acting like a total idoit around his family. I think Shakespeare is revealing that nothing is ever what it seems, that you never know when someone is lying to you. However, I think Hamlet uses acting insane to him benefit, because it does cause him to realize that Claudius did commit the murder of his father.
The most obvious example of appearance versus reality that I can think of is Hamlet himself. Throughout the whole play he appears to be crazy and going mad, but in reality it is all part of his plan for revenge against claudius. He is so convincing that he even makes it seem like he does not love Ophelia anymore to the point where he tells her to become a nun. Shakespeare reveals that in his quest for revenge, Hamlet begins to lose himself in this character he has created. He very much shows that appearances can be deceiving.
One distinct scene I remember seeing the motif of appearance vs. reality is when Hamlet is talking to his mom. She says to him "why seems it so particular with thee?" and he replys "seems madame? Nay, it is. I know not 'seems'." She is trying to minimize his feelings telling him it is as if they are real, but in reality they aren't. This reveals how insensitive Hamlet's mother is to his feelings at this point.
I think the scene right after Hamlet stabs Polonius when King Hamlet's ghost appears is a perfect example of Shakespeare's portrayal of appearance vs reality. Hamlet's mother is unable to see the ghost, which leads me to believe that only innocent people can see him. I think that Shakespeare is trying to suggest that once someone's conscience has been overstepped it's hard to follow his/her reasoning side.
I believe that the theme of madness and the theme of appearance versus reality are entertwined in this play. Nothing is really as it seems, thus causing confusion and later madness to ensue. Hamlet appears mad to Rosencratz when he speaks of his father and his uncle, referring to them both as the king. Because he does not know the revenge scheme Hamlet is developing, he deems Hamlet insane. Therefore, Claudius is more paranoid and it is like a domino effect.
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