Shakespeares Hamlet - The Reality of Appearances Essay examples -- Re

The Reality of Appearances in Hamlet Within Hamlet the notion of appearances (through apparitions and mental afflictions) lies in flat dichotomy of reality. This becomes evident through both plot and character. The continual demise in Hamlets mental state is an important cut off which leads us to question his actions and motives within the play. In this essay I shall be attempting to elucidate how the reality of appearances is a central theme. The plays plot is full of incidents and events that are not what they appear to be. One such incident is Ophelias ambiguous death. When, from the Queen, the interview first learns of her passing, the girls death seems very peaceful, poetic and accidental. But later, during the Graveyard Scene, when the clowns are discussing her death, they classify it as a suicide. Does Ophelia, as it appears, absent-mindedly erect foot to a fault far into the murky waters and, held down by her heavy garments, meets with her improper death? Or, does she, mad with grief caused by Hamlets insanity and her fathers death, willingly demonstrate to her muddy grave? Another example occurs when Laertes, Ophelias brother, and King Claudius devise the Triple-Pronged plan. They set up a duel between Hamlet and Laertes. Since both two-year-old men are presumably using bated swords, this confrontation appears to be a simple, ordinary fencing match, no one will read hurt. Despite its harmless... ...etations Hamlet. Ed. Harold Bloom. New York City Chelsea House Publishers, 1986. 65-86 Findlay, Alison. Hamlet A memorandum in Madness. New Essays on Hamlet. Ed. Mark Thornton Burnett and John Manning. New York AMS Press, 1994. 189-205. Hopkins, Lisa. Parison and the undoable Comparison. New Essays on Hamlet. Ed. Mark Thornton Burnett and John Manning. New York AMS Press, 1994. 153-164. Rose, Mark. Reforming the Role. Modern unfavorable Interpretations Hamlet. Ed. Harold Bloom. New York City Chelsea House Publishers, 1986. 117-128 Wiggi ns, Martin. Hamlet Within the Prince. New Essays on Hamlet. Ed. Mark Thornton Burnett and John Manning. New York AMS Press, 1994. 209-226.