Hamlet theme of appearance vs. reality Essay -- essays research papers

Shakespeare examines the theme of appearance and reality in his book-Hamlet. The dilemma of what is "real" is established at the very beginning of the play. Hamlet doesn’t know what to believe and devises a plan to find out. The old king Hamlet appears to be bitten by a snake, but in reality he was poisoned, the ghost appears as an apparition, but it’s actually real, and the play-with-in-a-play strongly depicts the theme of appearance vs. reality. The dead King appears to have been bitten by a snake. In reality, he has been poisoned. Everyone believes that the king died from snakebite, but once Hamlet knows the truth he is unsettled by the revelation. When Hamlet's dead father directs his son to, â€Å"Avenge him of his foul and most unnatural murder† (1.5. 25), Hamlet's response shows determination to act and a curiosity to know all the facts surrounding the murder: (1.5. 29-31) "Haste me to know't, that I, with wings as swift, as meditation or the thoughts of love may sweep to my revenge.† Hamlet's choice of image is significant here. A person who wants to take revenge rarely has "thoughts of love" but only concentrates upon thoughts of revenge, but Hamlet's thirst for revenge is immediate and deep. Shakespeare also develops the theme of appearance vs. reality when Hamlet resents his mother's insinuation that he is putting on a show of being grief-stricken. Strangely, he is the only one in th e family who is truly mourning ...