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Hamlet Deception Research Paper

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Deception in Hamlet

In many Shakespearean dramas, deception plays a major role in the storyline whether it be a tragedy or comedy. Often it is destructive but other times it can be benign. It can be practiced on others or, just as likely, self-inflicted. In the case of Hamlet, deception becomes the very foundation of the play and it is what enables it to remain fascinating today, in the twenty first century. As Shakespeare slowly reveals, every character is a victim as well as a perpetrator of deception and it ultimately leads to their treacherous demise.
When we are introduced to Claudius at the beginning of the play, he seems to be a good man and thus, a good king; an intelligent and capable ruler. He gives a speech to his royal court and country, addressing his brother's death and the potential conflict with Norway. This speech juxtaposes the people's loss with the new beginning they will have under his care, and he uses the death of Hamlet's father to create a sense of national solidarity. However, …show more content…

In order to avenge his father's death, Hamlet plots to feign madness in order to deceive others and draw attention away from his suspicious activity. Through this madness, Hamlet stages a play and he vows that its “the thing wherein [he]'ll catch the conscience of the King” (Act II, Scene II, line 567). And his plan succeeds. Hamlet uncovered Claudius' hidden truth surrounding the death of his father and he felt greatly accomplished. It is this very deception that makes Claudius uneasy because Hamlet possesses his dreadful secret. He is forced to devise a new plan, playing his evil game until the bitter end. Hamlet sparks in Claudius another act of deception as he needs a way to avoid a reveal of the truth. Claudius enlists the help of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to escort Hamlet to England and have him killed. As a result, the deceptive plots of both Claudius and Hamlet are interwoven without their

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