Christian Fausto
Ms. Sophie Yu
English 12 AP - Literature and Composition
14 December 2015
Hamlet- Appearance v Reality Rough Draft
Edith Wharton once said “There are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it.” Even then, would the light’s reflection in the mirror be considered real? There are times when it is difficult to distinguish fact from fiction, and it is often the pursuit of this truth that can blur the lines which distinguishes the two. In Shakespeare’s drama Hamlet, the protagonist of the play is constantly struggling with this concept of mirrors. Hamlet’s obsession with distinguishing reality from fiction led to three significant effects on his character: firstly, he becomes so caught up in the…show more content… In fact, many of the characters in the play exhibit this multiple personality disorder of sorts. They appear to act one way when they are in the public eye; however, when they are alone their true colors may prevail and show their true nature. For instance, in Act 1 Hamlet describes his uncle Claudius as “O villain, villain, smiling damnèd villain! / My tables! --- Meet it is I set it down / that one may smile, and smile, and be a villain" (I.v.106-108). His uncle pretends to be this honest and trustworthy man, but the reality is that he is a spiteful villain. He was capable of killing his own brother to obtain the kingdom of Denmark. Hamlet also states that even though someone may be evil, they can put on a fake smile and appear to be something else. He exemplifies this ability to hide one’s true character through the actors in the play. It is in relation to this play where we see a comparison drawn between Hamlet and the actors themselves. When Hamlet is talking about the actor’s performance, he claims that the actor could “drown the stage with his tears” (II.ii.538). This example of hyperbole is used to express the extreme emotion shown by the actors for their tale. He compares this ability to manipulate one’s emotions while acting to his inability to hide his true emotions. This once again relates to the continuing theme of mirrors in the play.…show more content… The further that Hamlet dives into his obsession with the truth, the less coherent the world around him seems to be. One example is when he states "this most / excellent canopy, the air---look you, this brace o'erhanging / firmament, this majestical roof fretted with golden fire--- / why, it appears no other thing to me than a foul and / pestilent congregation of vapors" (II.ii.290-294). The older Hamlet would have expressed his romanticism for such a marvelous sight, the beauty of nature and life. However, this newer Version of him- one whose only desire is to unravel the truth- sees only the falsehood of nature's beauty and life itself. Not only doe Hamlet push away his lighter, more philosophical side, he also pushes away those dearest to him. In Act 3, Scene 1, Hamlet feels guilty for using Ophelia; however, he becomes upset when Ophelia tries to diminish the love they once shared. He claims “If thou dost marry, I'll give thee this plague for thy dowry. / Be thou as chaste as ice, as pure as snow, thou shalt not / escape calumny. Get thee to a nunnery, go. Farewell. Or, if / thou wilt needs marry, marry a fool, for wise men know well / enough what monsters you make of them. To a nunnery, go, / and quickly too. Farewell" (III.i.136-141). Thou this may seem like an honest lover’s quarrel, if you analyze the situation you can infer that Hamlet may be trying to