Hamlet: Factuality and Facade
Eric Birkhead
Erika Baldt
Literature 220
2/21/13
Hamlet: Factuality and Façade The Japanese culture is one of the most ancient and revered in the records of history. Despite its difference in space and time with that of the British, their philosophies and social order strikes closest to home with that of theme from the novel Hamlet. Indeed, when one looks at a piece of literature one looks at a piece of human culture as well. The play itself is rife with deception, falsehoods and Machiavellian like tactics. The most accurate saying one could describe the characters of Hamlet as is from the Japanese: Every man has three faces, one he shows the world, one he shows his family, and one only he himself knows. The entire play revolves around Hamlet trying to deceive those around him who in turn try to control and fool him as well. Regardless of their seemingly pleasant conversations, the characters all have their own goals and ambitions. The tragedy of Hamlet almost entirely consists of deceit and subterfuge between the characters, which is most evident through the interactions between Hamlet, Ophelia, the Ghost, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern respectfully. Hamlet begins his pursuit of vengeance by concocting a plan of feigning insanity. From the beginning he seeks to fool the general public with a guise of madness. It can be determined that this is actually just that, a ploy created by him. Those insane can’t determine that they actually are insane, while Hamlet actively seeks to do actions that are deemed that of a madman becoming more and more brazen in each act of the play. Perhaps the best depiction of his plan is the interactions between that of himself and the Lady Ophelia. Hamlet and Ophelia are portrayed as to have a history between them. Therefore one would think that they would hold each other dearly or in some kind of romantic entanglement of emotions. Hamlet stops any sort of inclination towards that ideal after his first few discussions
Erika Baldt
Literature 220
2/21/13
Hamlet: Factuality and Façade The Japanese culture is one of the most ancient and revered in the records of history. Despite its difference in space and time with that of the British, their philosophies and social order strikes closest to home with that of theme from the novel Hamlet. Indeed, when one looks at a piece of literature one looks at a piece of human culture as well. The play itself is rife with deception, falsehoods and Machiavellian like tactics. The most accurate saying one could describe the characters of Hamlet as is from the Japanese: Every man has three faces, one he shows the world, one he shows his family, and one only he himself knows. The entire play revolves around Hamlet trying to deceive those around him who in turn try to control and fool him as well. Regardless of their seemingly pleasant conversations, the characters all have their own goals and ambitions. The tragedy of Hamlet almost entirely consists of deceit and subterfuge between the characters, which is most evident through the interactions between Hamlet, Ophelia, the Ghost, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern respectfully. Hamlet begins his pursuit of vengeance by concocting a plan of feigning insanity. From the beginning he seeks to fool the general public with a guise of madness. It can be determined that this is actually just that, a ploy created by him. Those insane can’t determine that they actually are insane, while Hamlet actively seeks to do actions that are deemed that of a madman becoming more and more brazen in each act of the play. Perhaps the best depiction of his plan is the interactions between that of himself and the Lady Ophelia. Hamlet and Ophelia are portrayed as to have a history between them. Therefore one would think that they would hold each other dearly or in some kind of romantic entanglement of emotions. Hamlet stops any sort of inclination towards that ideal after his first few discussions
Cited: Bloom, Harold. Hamlet. New York: Chelsea House, 1990. Print.