Appearance vs. Reality in Hamlet
To Be or Not to Be?


Shakespeare's Hamlet is the tale of a young prince determined to uncover the
truth about his father's recent death. Hamlet's uncle (and also the deceased king's
brother), Claudius, marries his mother the queen, and therefore, takes the throne. In the
beginning of the story, Hamlet is told by the apparition of his dead father that it was
Claudius who in fact murdered him. The theme that remains consistent throughout the
tragedy is appearance versus reality. The characters introduced to us throughout the play
appear to be pure and honest, but in reality are infested with evil. They deceitfully hide
behind a mask of integrity. Four main dishonest characters which are found to be
disguised with righteousness are Polonius, Rosencrantz, Guildenstern, and the freshly
crowned king Claudius. The first impression presented by these characters are ones of
truth, honor, and morality; they are all plagued by......

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Title: Appearance Vs. Reality
Approximate Word Count: 1247
Approximate Pages: 5 (250 words per double-spaced page)

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