The Mask of Hamlet Essay - 835 Words

The Mask of Hamlet When people put on a mask or costume it is usually because they are trying to hide themselves or portray a certain feeling to onlookers. In Shakespeares Hamlet, Hamlet puts on a antic disposition as a strategy to get closer to Claudius. Hamlet tells his friends this by saying (I,iv,170-173) how strange or odd someer I bear myself (As I perchance hereafter shall think meet to put an antic disposition on), That you, at such times seeing me, never shall, with arms encumbred thus, or this head-shake, or by pronouncing of some doubtful phrase, Hamlets strategy is successful at the beginning in that he is able to fool Ophilia, Gertrude, Polonius and Claudius but as the play proceeds Polonius and Claudius†¦show more content†¦Hamlet was able to find out that it was Claudius by setting up a trap for him involving a play. Unfortunately by this time Hamlet has lost his control and created a tragic error by acting on emotion, which in the end leads to his death. Those who Hamlet did not fool for long were Claudius and Polonius. There is proof of this when Claudius says (III;I;160-163)Was not like madness. Theres something in his soul Oer which his melancholy sits on brood, And I do doubt the hatch and the disclose will be some danger which for to prevent, Polonius shows his feelings of suspicion towards Hamlet by saying (II,ii,203) Though this be madness, yet there is method int. Claudius is scared of what Hamlet might do and says (III;I;185)Madness in great ones must not unwatched go. Among the people fooled were; Ophilia, Gertrude, Polonius, and Claudius. Ophilia being a past girlfriend of Hamlet, was completely surprised and remorseful for the loss of a great man. She realizes he is mad when he disobeys Ophilias wishes and goes to her house and speaks meanly and angrily to her. She tells her father Polonius about this when saying (II,I,77-82) With a look so piteous in purport as if he had been loosed out of hell to speak of horrors! he comes before me. She expresses her feelings for the lose of Hamlets noble attributes by saying (III,I,146-148) O, whatShow MoreRelated Hamlet: Masks We Wear Essay1101 Words   |  5 Pages Masks nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;A mask is a covering worn on the face or something that disguises or conceals oneself. All the characters in Shakespeares Hamlet hide behind masks to cover up who they really are, which contridictes a main idea, expressed by the fool, Old Polonius, quot;To thine ownself be truequot; (Polonius - 1.3.84). All the characters share strengths and triumphs, flaws and downfalls. 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