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Treachery In Hamlet

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The story of Hamlet is one written many decades ago, telling a story of a boy in the French court who endures several traumatic experiences throughout his life. Hamlet, the rightful heir to the French throne, is stripped of his destiny when his father falls, when his mother quickly remarries a member of the royal family. Claudius, the new king, creates numerous problems for Hamlet throughout the play. Hamlet suffers from what seems to be insanity, but his actions are all just an allusion in his plot for revenge. In William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Hamlet, being overwhelmed by the grief of his father’s sudden death, the shock of his mother’s inexplicable marriage, and being surrounded by treachery, plays a role with intentions that are misunderstood …show more content…

In the opening scenes, Hamlet is brought home from his studies in another country to find his father, Hamlet, dead, and his mother, Gertrude, remarried to the former King Hamlet’s brother, Claudius. Hamlet’s mother’s lack of grief for her husband’s death leave Hamlet in shock. Gertrude, only waiting two months after her husband’s death, did not hasten to marry Claudius. Hamlet seemed to be overwhelmed by the quickness of their marriage and began to question his mother’s love for her family. His mother’s quick actions and untrustworthiness lead Hamlet to contemplate suicide. Hamlet, never truly going insane, only thought of these actions

rather than committing them, unlike a mentally ill person would. With his throne stripped from his grasp and his mother’s questionable love for him, he began to feel bounded by treachery. Shakespeare writes “Why then tis none to you, for there is nothing either good or bad, but thinking it makes it so. To me it is a prison” (2.2.234-36). Hamlet felt alone in the castle surrounded by those he thought gave no concern or care for …show more content…

The act worked, proving Claudius’s guilt when he stormed out of the room in distress of what he had witnessed. Hamlet continued to only pretend to have gone mad, hoping to deceive others’ perception of him. The passage says, “For Hamlet thought more clearly than most men. He was aware of the essential principles of logic and used them consciously. He used them excessively, that was his madness,” (David 663). Hamlet only used his actions to get revenge on his murderous uncle, all other deaths and tragedies involved were merely accidents. Claudius continued in his wickedness in plotting to betray and kill Hamlet. The only thoughts and actions that concerned Hamlet were those of which resulted in Claudius’ doom. Hamlet let go of his feelings towards Ophelia only to focus on his plan, in doing so, he drove her to the point of madness from which there is no return, suicide. The death of Polonius was simply an act of self-protection in defending his mother and himself. The play ends with the death of all the main characters, excluding Horatio. Hamlet, in his dying moments, remained sane only pursuing his crazy-like actions to defend his father and the

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