Examples Of Appearance And Reality In Hamlet

1356 Words3 Pages

Appearance Versus Reality in 1984 and Hamlet How does a person’s appearance affect the way you perceive them? Appearance can hide a person’s personality and their intentions, and can often create conflict. Appearance versus reality is a common theme used in novels to create conflict and help to evolve the plot. 1984 by George Orwell and Hamlet by William Shakespeare have similarities and differences in the way appearance and reality is used. The original purpose of deceit in each novel appears different but have the same meaning. The way the theme of appearance versus reality is conveyed through different mediums such as double lives, actions, and organizations are similar. In the end, the theme of appearance and reality has different outcomes …show more content…

Hamlet uses double lives, like in the case of Hamlet and Claudius, and actions to convey different appearance and reality scenarios. Hamlet told Horatio and the guards of his plans: “As I perchance hereafter shall think meet to put an antic disposition on” (1.5, 172-173). After the conversation with the Ghost, Hamlet decides to uses a mad persona to hide his plans of revenge from Claudius. Both Hamlet and Claudius can be seen living secret lives, which ties in with the theme of appearance and reality. Another way appearance versus reality is shown in the play is through actions; this method creates dramatic irony. Hamlet put on the play ‘The Mousetrap’ for Claudius; it was actually a test to see if Claudius is truly guilty of King Hamlet’s murder. King Hamlet’s murder is also an example of appearance and reality, everyone believes that he died from a snakebite but he was really murdered. 1984 conveys appearance and reality in different forms. Similarly to Hamlet, 1984 shows appearance and reality through double lives and actions. 1984 also uses propaganda and government ministries to show appearance and reality. Julia acts like a typical citizen of Oceania, she participates in the Two-Minutes Hate and is a member of the Junior Anti-Sex League. She, like Winston, is able to hide her revolt against the Party by acting usual. Mr. Charrington acts innocent and trustworthy as he poses like …show more content…

The use of appearance and reality in Hamlet sends a negative message about lying and faking. All of the characters that lied and were deceitful were killed throughout the play. The ironic actions of these characters ended up turning against them. For instance, Laertes tried killing Hamlet with a poisoned sword but ends up killing himself with it. By this, Shakespeare seems to be saying that deceit is a deadly fault and should be avoided. 1984 has a mixed message about appearance versus reality. Winston said: “He had won the victory over himself. He loved Big Brother.” (Orwell, 311). This quote explains how Winston is thinking after being tortured by the Party. Winston is broken and follows the Party’s ways of conformity. In his mind-controlled state, Winston even believes that his previous rebellion was a personal test. Although Winston and Julia’s deceptive lifestyles were for noble causes, they had poor outcomes. On the other hand, O’Brien, Mr. Charrington, and the country of Oceania were not punished for their treachery. In fact, they were successful in their mission of revealing revolutionists like Winston and Julia. Unlike 1984, all characters that were deceitful died in Hamlet. These contrasts as in Hamlet, the appearance and reality theme is shown as an appalling issue. Where in 1984, the appearance and reality is unpredictable. Winston and Julia failed, but the Party

Show More
Related

  • Lets Foil: The Use of Foil Characters to Reveal Personality Depth in Hamlet by Shakespeare

    1472 Words  | 3 Pages

    Although the play Hamlet is largely centered around the “tragic hero” Hamlet, it is the minor foil characters that gives us a deeper understanding of the text and a more conscious understanding of the internal struggles experienced by Hamlet. Each of these characters contrasts a specific aspect of Hamlet that would otherwise be overlooked. Horatio consolidates all of the desirable features that Hamlet wants to be into one person. Fortinbras, although in the exact same situation as Hamlet with his father dead and his uncle on the throne, is the complete opposite of Hamlet by choosing action over inaction. Finally, Ophelia personifies Hamlet’s innocence and the death of his innocence after the death of his father. Despite being opposites of each other, each of these characters bring a new outlook on the tragedy of Hamlet.

    Read More

  • Presentation of Hamlet in Act 2 Scene 2 and 3 in William Shakespeare's Hamlet

    649 Words  | 2 Pages

    Presentation of Hamlet in Act 2 Scene 2 and 3 in William Shakespeare's Hamlet It is hard to determine the intentions of William Shakespeare when he wrote "Hamlet" without looking at the social, historical and ethical context in which it was conceived. From the cover notes found within the 'Longman Literature' edition, we can deduce that it is Shakespeare's most well known play and, written during the year 1602, it was one of his later works. At this time, revenge was a very popular theme for plays and there is evidence if this in the vast number of plays about revenge that were written at the start of the seventeenth century.

    Read More

  • Proving that Hamlet Feigned Insanity in Hamlet by William Shakespeare

    903 Words  | 2 Pages

    Visualize this: A man is trapped inside a world he never made. This world begins with the conventions of tragedy through fiction. By the end this masterpiece, the flashing, delving presence of his mind and sprit has been transformed. It becomes the real world. In the real world, appearance and reality is a hard thing to differentiate. Appearance "is" reality in William Shakespeare's Hamlet. Appearance (insanity) is used as a disguise, an excuse for his free will and a costume for Hamlet. This is proven by the nature of Hamlet's true thought process, why he feigns insanity, and, proof that Hamlet was not crazy.

    Read More

  • Hamlet Is A Loyal Councilor To Claudius

    1148 Words  | 3 Pages

    Throughout the play, Hamlet, by William Shakespeare, Hamlet learns the truth of his father’s recent death. He learns that his fathers death was no accident, and that his uncle, his fathers brother, is his father murder. As the play goes on Hamlet promises to avenge his father’s murderer, his uncle and newly crowned king, Claudius. Covered by this veil the characters give the appearance of being honest and sincere but on the other side of the veil they are polluted with dishonesty and tricky.

    Read More

  • Exploring Hamlet’s State of Mind

    1131 Words  | 3 Pages

    (Act 1, Scene 2 – Act 1, Scene 5) William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, with a reputation as the greatest of all writers in the English language, as well as one of the world's pre-eminent dramatists. Hamlet is one of Shakespeare’s most analysed plays. The play is about Hamlet, Prince of Denmark who hopes to avenge the murder of his father.

    Read More

  • Hamlet, by William Shakespeare

    1163 Words  | 3 Pages

    Deception is major driving force behind the plot of the play, Hamlet by William Shakespeare. Although the play sparks from Claudius’ lie about King Hamlet’s murder, throughout the play, he continues uses deception to develop the characters as well as create drama in the play. Shakespeare uses the theme of deception to also portray the consequences of deceits, as seen through the death of Ophelia, Gertrude, Rosencrantz, Guildenstern, Polonius, Claudius, Laertes, and Hamlet. Granted that Hamlet was able to find out the truth about his father’s death through his own lies, he eventually die due to the web of the deceit weaved by others.

    Read More

  • How Does Hamlet Fit In Modern American Society

    1272 Words  | 3 Pages

    Always in Shakespeare reading we learn many different themes. The play “Hamlet” by William Shakespeare is a classic published in 1603. The story goes through Hamlet’s everyday thoughts of life, love, people and other ideologies. Hamlet story teaches us throughout the story that he hates King Claudius with a ceaseless passion because he poisoned his brother in order to marry the queen and take the crown. Hamlet is the prince and his mother’s marriage to Claudius causes him to have a deep rooted hatred towards women which pushes him to hate sex. As a result, we see how deeply Hamlet values inner truth and his hatred for deceit. After learning Hamlet’s philosophy of life we see that he would not fit in modern American society. Therefore, Hamlet

    Read More

  • Appearance vs. Reality in William Shakespeare's Hamlet

    999 Words  | 2 Pages

    Appearance vs. Reality in William Shakespeare's Hamlet. In Hamlet, one of Shakespeare's greatest tragedies, there is a prevailing theme that is concurrent throughout the play. Throughout the play, all the characters appear to be one thing on the outside. yet on the inside, they are completely different. The theme of Appearance versus reality is prominent in Hamlet because of the fact that the characters portray themselves differently from what they really are.

    Read More

  • The Theme Of Appearance Vs Reality In King Claudius

    1174 Words  | 3 Pages

    William Shakespeare wrote in a way in which he could create interesting characters that are complex whose inner selves differ from their outward appearance. William Shakespeare allows Hamlet to appear mad and insane, but he is actually using his madness to hide his intentions of seeking revenge for his father’s murder by King Claudius. Claudius has killed his own brother, taking his crown using deception, causing Hamlet to be driven mad by aiming to get revenge for what he had done to his father. Are the characters within this work the same both on the inside as they appear on the outside? Appearance versus reality is one of the more significant philosophies portrayed through Shakespeare’s work. The theme remains consistent throughout the

    Read More

  • The Importance of Self-image in Hamlet

    1136 Words  | 3 Pages

    Self-image plays a big role in how people act. Hamlet’s inability to know himself or to understand his own motives leads to the restless battles between right and wrong in his conscience, which is the reason for his unpredictable tragic actions, and behaviors. Hamlets’ confusion is clearly shown in his soliloquies. His confused mind can be broken into five categories. Hamlet suffers from his own moral standards, the desperate need to seek the truth, lack of confidence and trust in his own impulses, self-hatred, and melancholy. Each of these categories contribute to Hamlet’s troubled mind.

    Read More

  • Hamlet’s Self-Perception

    1556 Words  | 4 Pages

    The way we see ourselves is often reflected in the way we act. Hamlet views himself as different to those young nobles around him such as Fortinbras and Laertes. This reality leads us to believe that over time he has become even more motivated to revenge his father's death, and find out who his true friends are. How can you be honest in a world full of deceit and hate? His seven soliloquies tell us that while the days go by he grows more cunning as he falls deeper into his madness. This fact might have lead Hamlet to believe that suicide is what he really wants for his life's course.

    Read More

  • Hamlet's Perception Of Human Nature

    805 Words  | 2 Pages

    How are the perceptions of human nature conveyed by individuals subject to the influence of

    Read More

  • The Theme of Actors and Acting in Hamlet

    1907 Words  | 4 Pages

    The façades that the individual characters assume are all essential to the complex deception and insanity that follow. Shakespeare's characters, it would seem, all have `multi-faceted' personalities (with the exception of Horatio). The true thoughts of these characters are seen only as asides, soliloquies or, in Hamlet's case, through the manipulation of language.

    Read More

  • The Deceit of Hamlet

    976 Words  | 2 Pages

    Deceit is often used in politics and everyday life to acquire power and success. The theme of deceit is often repeated in Shakespeare’s Hamlet. Hamlet’s hesitation in killing Claudius, and Hamlet’s eventual death are a direct result of deceit in the court. Hamlet tries to deceive everyone into thinking that he is crazy. He believes that with this "antic disposition" he can kill Claudius without any consequences, and avenge his father’s death. When Cladius and Polonius hear of Hamlet’s madness, they decide to find out the reason behind it. They spy on Hamlet to figure out why he is acting this way. Through this Cladius learns that Hamlet is dangerous, and a threat to him. Hamlet’s trickery also leads to the death of Ophelia and her father Polonius. As well as triggering Laertes to seek revenge on Hamlet for causing the death of his family. After several attempts to kill Hamlet fail, Claudius teams up with Laertes and tries to murder Hamlet once and for all. Each of these plans directly or indirectly cause Hamlet’s death.

    Read More

  • Free Hamlet Essays: Imagery in Hamlet

    503 Words  | 2 Pages

    The imagery in the play of Hamlet is composed of disease, poison, and decay this adds to the overall atmosphere of horror and tragedy. First, hamlet uses images of disease to show the state of the country of Denmark and his mother. Second, the imagery of poison is used to describe his father’s death. Lastly, Hamlet describes his feelings toward himself and Claudius and his feelings toward his mother by using images of decay. In Hamlet, as in all literature, imagery adds to reader’s ability to imagine the feeling of the story.

    Read More

More about Examples Of Appearance And Reality In Hamlet

Open Document