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Deception

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Submitted By elmo11
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In William Shakepespeare’s tragedy Hamlet, deception is an essential part of the play. Hamlet, Claudius, and Polonius are deceitful. Hamlet uses his madness as a way for deception. He feigns his madness in order to gather information about Claudius. Claudius deceives everyone as he murdered his brother and took his spot on the throne. Claudius uses many people, most notably Guildenstern and Rosencrantz. He sends these two with Hamlet to assure he lands safely in England. In actuality these two are holding a letter for Hamlet’s execution. Polonius is extremely dishonest as he wishes his son Laertes the best as he departs for Paris. Then turns around and asks Reynaldo to watch and follow him. Polonius also deceives Hamlet as he has him meet with his mother in her room. During this meeting Polonius hides behind the tapestry. Trying to fool Hamlet and use deception to gain information. This leads to Polonius paying the ultimate price. Hamlet, Claudius, and Polonius all are deceiving and use deception. Deception in Hamlet revolves around Claudius murdering Hamlet Senior. The ghost of Hamlet Senior visits Hamlet telling him of Claudius’s horrible deed. Hamlet vows to seek revenge. Only he needs to figure out if the ghost is a figment of his imagination or if Claudius actually did it. Hamlet feigns madness and deceives everyone, through Hamlet’s deceitfulness he tries to gain substantial evidence on Claudius. With his madness he draws the attention away from his plot to kill Claudius. After Hamlets encounter with the ghost he reveals his plan to Horatio and only Horatio, stating,
Here, as before, never, so help you mercy, / How strange or odd soe’er 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 encumbered thus, or this headshake, / or by pronouncing of some

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