Deception In Hamet

861 Words4 Pages
William Shakespeare's tragedy, Hamlet, centers on a young Danish prince, Hamlet, and his quest to avenge his father's murder. The tragedy begins when an apparition of his father, King Hamlet, appears to Hamlet and tells him the details of his death. The ghost tells Hamlet that his brother, Claudius, secretly poisons him while he was sleeping. After his death, Claudius assumes the position as King and also marries King Hamlet's widow, Gertrude. Hamlet, throughout the rest of the tragedy, contemplates exactly how he should kill Claudius. At the climatic end of the tragedy, Hamlet finally kills his nemesis; however, his actions lead to his death and the death of practically every other major character in the process. The theme of deception plays a major role throughout Hamlet. Every character seems to have a plan to trick or deceive their counterparts. In fact, deception can be linked to the downfall of every major character in the play, specifically the demises of Polonius, Hamlet, and Claudius. Deception is the driving force behind Polonius's character in the play. In the beginning of Act II, Shakespeare highlights the essential aspect of Polonius' character when Polonius sends Reynaldo to spy on Laertes, his son, in Paris. Polonius instructs Reynaldo to deceive and fool Laertes with letters and money. Ultimately, all Polonius wants is a report on Laertes's behavior; he demands Reynaldo, "Observe his inclination in yourself" (77). He demonstrates this tendency of spying on others continually throughout the tragedy, regardless of the person's relationship to him. This essential aspect of Polonius's character directly leads to his death. In Act III, Polonius secretly plans to observe a meeting between Hamlet and Gertrude; he proclaims, "Behind the arras I'll convey myself to hear the process" (165). Polonius did convey himself behind the arras for the meeting;

More about Deception In Hamet

Open Document