Many people use deception to either cover up their deeds or to try to uncover the deeds of others. As one of William Shakespeare’s greatest tragedies, Hamlet is a play that has many deception themes throughout its story. Three forms of deception can be seen in Hamlet that is the fear of some of the characters that they are being deceived by others, the act of deceiving others, and the outcome of the deception. In the play, many of the characters such as Claudius, Hamlet, and Polonius all used various forms of deception to either hide information from others or to receive information that they are seeking.
At the beginning of Hamlet, a ghost appears to Francisco, Marcellus, and Bernardo for two successive nights. They tell their story to Horatio who believes the men are trying to deceive him. In fact, he tells the three men “Tush, tush, 'twill not appear.” (1.1.39). Since he did not believe the three men, Horatio decided to accompany the men to the castle battlements on the third night. While Horatio is considered to be a sensible scholar, he needs to see the ghost with his own eyes to confirm that the ghost is real. After witnessing the ghost, Horatio realizes the three men were not trying to deceive him after all and he tells Hamlet about the ghost.
Thus was I, sleeping, by a brother's hand Of life, of crown, of queen, at once dispatch'd; Cut off even in the blossoms of my sin, Unhous'led, disappointed, unanel'd, No reckoning made, but sent to my account With all my imperfections on my head. (1.5.812-17)
Hamlet comes to accept the ghost was that of his deceased father. Hamlet's father's spirit orders him to avenge his death that Hamlet agrees to do.
Hamlet does not particularly like Claudius and he feels deceived by his mother. Soon after his father’s death, his uncle, Claudius inherited the throne of Denmark. His mother married Claudius almost immediately after the death of his father. Hamlet believes his mother did not mourn long enough for his dead father and he becomes cruel to her. Anselm Haverkamp points out that “Hamlet considers Gertrude the focal point of his anguish becauseGertrude’s deception has, potentially “joined” Hamlet to a history (embodied in the figure of Claudius) he cannot understand.” (174) He sets out to prove to everyone that Claudius killed his father.
As Hamlet investigates his father’s death, many of his activities is seen as suspicious to others. In order to remove people’s attention away from what he is doing; Hamlet decides to deceive people by pretending to be insane. Using insanity as a cover would allow Hamlet to look for evidence that could prove Claudius killed his father. Hamlet informs Horatio about his plans to act insane. He tells Horatio, “As I, perchance, hereafter shall think meet / To put an antic disposition on” (1.5.924-25) Hamlet ask Horatio to help him deceive others by keeping the fact that he is not insane a secret.
Hamlet does not give away the secret about his false insanity. However, sensing that Hamlet's current affliction may be an act of deception, Claudius turns to Hamlet's two oldest friends, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, to learn what is truly wrong with him. For his part, Claudius conceals the fact that he killed Hamlet’s father from everyone. He deceives everyone with lies. It is clear that he is suffering from a guilty conscience. He proclaims that his deception is a “heavy burthen!” (3.1.1745)
Since Hamlet was the Prince of Denmark, it was certain that he would marry one day. Ophelia, while not engaged to Hamlet, may have wanted to pursue him. Believing that Hamlet is deceiving his sister, Laertes warns Ophelia that Hamlet may not truly love her. He points out Hamlet’s “greatness weigh'd, his will is not his own; / For he himself is subject to his birth.” (1.3.501-02) Laertes tells Ophelia that since Hamlet was the Prince of Denmark, he could not choose his wife. Since Denmark's safety is important, it is other royals, and the royal court who will decide the woman Hamlet is to marry. Ophelia’s brother tells her that Hamlet knows this fact and any feeling he show towards her with regards to love are not real. Polonius, Ophelia’s father, confirms what Laertes said was true. In order to spare her feelings, Polonius command Ophelia to stop seeing Hamlet:
I would not, in plain terms, from this time forth Have you so slander any moment leisure As to give words or talk with the Lord Hamlet. Look to't, I charge you. Come your ways. (1.3.619-22)
Polonius and Laertes both believe that they are protecting Ophelia from the deceitful Hamlet. Later in the play, Polonius, believing that Hamlet is love-sick for Ophelia, uses his daughter to spy on Hamlet. Ophelia participates in this deception because she has no choice but to obey her father. During this period, the lives of women were ruled by men.
However, Michael Gooch offers a different explanation for Ophelia’s actions. He stated that “[a]lthough some may perceive Ophelia as a pathetic victim of abusive men, it is more likely that she is an active participant in the deception being carried out.” (Gooch 187) Gooch backs up his claim by pointing to the way Ophelia acts when she is returning Hamlet’s book. She is trying to get him to reveal any information he may have about the death of his father and his mother’s betrayal. Gooch concludes “[t]hat Hamlet can see through this deception easily may account for the bitterly ironic, sarcastic, and perhaps even abusive treatment of Ophelia that disturbs so many.” (Gooch 187)
Polonius shows another deceitful side when he gives his permission for his son, Laertes, to go to Paris. Instead of trusting his son, Polonius sends Reynaldo to Paris in order to spy on him. To make sure his son was behaving in a gentlemanly fashion, such as not going to bars, drinking heavy, or gambling, he tells Reynaldo that he should befriend Laertes so that he can watch Laertes’ actions. By sending someone to spy on his son, Polonius shows that he is willing to use deception in order to keep his child in order. Polonius continues to manipulate his daughter, Ophelia as well as others.
Polonius deceptive nature truly comes out when he tells Gertrude and Claudius that Hamlet is acting strangely because he is lovesick for Ophelia:
And he, repulsed, a short tale to make, Fell into a sadness, then into a fast, Thence to a watch, thence into a weakness, Thence to a lightness, and, by this declension, Into the madness wherein now he raves (2.2.1244-48)
Furthermore, he lies to them by stating Ophelia does not want to be with Hamlet. To see if he was right, Polonius suggested to the King that at the next meeting between his daughter, Ophelia, and Hamlet, the King and Polonius should spy on them by hiding behind the main hall’s tapestry. Polonius willingness to spy on his children and his ability to manipulate others to become deceitful like him are just a few examples of Polonius’ deceptive nature. According to Ann E. Tenbrunsel and David M. Messick, “Hamlet could be told from Polonius’s point of view and called the Tragedy of Polonius, Lord Chamberlain of Denmark. He did not think he was a minor character in anything, I daresay.” (231) So determine is Polonius to deceive others that he even had Ophelia pretend to read a book to ensure Hamlet is not suspicious of his actions.
For his part, Hamlet continues to pretend to be insane. When he meets with Ophelia, he is cruel to her. She believes his deception is real and declares Hamlet to be insane. Hamlet furthers his deception by putting on a play called The Murder of Gonzago. This play was to be performed so that Hamlet could watch Claudius reaction in order to see if Claudius will reveal any guilt for murdering the previous king. Like before, Hamlet lets Horatio in on this deception by telling him:
Give him a heedful noteFor I mine eyes will rivet to his face,And after we will both our judgments joinIn censure of his seeming.(3.2.1963-65)
As the actors performed a scene that resembled Hamlet’s father’s death, Claudius leaves the room. Both Horatio and Hamlet takes Claudius exit as a sign that he is guilty. Hamlet goes to confront Claudius and take his revenge. He sees that Claudius is praying and stops. Hamlet believes that if he killed Claudius in prayer that Claudius’s soul would go to heaven. The prince does not want Claudius soul in heaven while his father’s soul roams the world because Hamlet did not avenge him. Unfortunately, the result of Hamlet’s deception was that he ends up accidently killing Polonius instead of Claudius.
Hamlet goes to speak to his mother. He plans to deceive Gertrude by being as cruel as Nero verbally but not physically. While speaking with his mother, the deceitful Polonius hides to spy on their conversation. Hearing a noise coming from behind a tapestry and believing it is Claudius in hiding, Hamlet runs his sword through the curtain, and he kills Polonius in the process. Polonius dies in front of the queen and Hamlet.
At this time, James A. Dykstra points out that " Hamlet’s tactic of feigning madness ultimately serves to make King Claudius suspicious of his intentions, because he begins to disbelieve Hamlet’s dramatic pretenses of insanity.” (Dykstra 1) After Polonius death, Claudius sends Hamlet to live in England. He sends Hamlet’s friends, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, with him. He tells them that the insane Hamlet is a threat to the public safety of Denmark. Claudius is deceiving Hamlet. In truth, Claudius is planning on having Hamlet assassinated once he reaches England: “Our sovereign process, which imports at full, / By letters congruing to that effect, / The present death of Hamlet. Do it, England;” (4.3.2778-80)
Hamlet finds out about the deception when he finds and read the letter. When he learned that the letter was a warrant for his death, Hamlet removed his name from the letter and replaced it with his friends, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, names. He is deceiving his friends by sending them to die in his place. When he tells Horatio about his actions, Horatio is shocked at how cruel and deceptive Hamlet was to those around him. However, Hamlet pointed out that Rosencrantz and Guildenstern were more concern with being employed by the king and doing Claudius bidding than they were with Hamlet’s well-being. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern tried to deceive Hamlet and paid for it with their lives. Rather than continue on to England, Hamlet returns to Denmark.
After her father deaths, the now insane Ophelia dies. Her brother, Laertes, travels from France to Denmark. Claudius takes the opportunity to convince Laertes that his sister and father’s death was Hamlet’s fault. Claudius deception makes Laertes turn his rage to Hamlet. Once Claudius hears that Hamlet has returned to Denmark, he plans to use Laertes to get rid of Hamlet once and for all. Claudius plans to poison the blade of Laertes' fencing sword. As Hamlet and Laertes fence, Laertes would poison Hamlet if he can draw the prince's blood. The result would be Hamlet’s death. In order to ensure the death of Hamlet, Claudius sets up a backup plan. He would poison Hamlet’s drink in case Hamlet beats Laertes at fencing. After Ophelia’s funeral, where Hamlet reveals that he actually deceived her by not telling Ophelia he loved her, the king orders Laertes and Hamlet to have a fencing match. What was to follow was one of the most deceptive scenes and ultimate revelations in William Shakespeare’s play.
Laertes and Hamlet begins to fence, and it is Laertes that receives the first hit from Hamlet. As a reward, King Claudius offers Hamlet a drink that Hamlet declines. Instead of Hamlet drinking from the goblet, his mother decides to take a drink. Claudius poisoned drink ends up quickly killing Gertrude and not Hamlet. Before she dies the queen cries out: “No, no! the drink, the drink! O my dear Hamlet! / The drink, the drink! I am poison'd.” (5.2.3965-66) Laertes and Hamlet continue their fencing game. Laertes cuts Hamlet. However, the poison was not immediately effective. Hamlet takes Laertes' sword away from him and cut Laertes with the poisoned blade. Before dying, Laertes reveals to Hamlet that it was Claudius who killed his mother, Gertrude: “Lo, here I lie, / Never to rise again. Thy mother's poison'd. / I can no more. The King, the King's to blame.” (5.2.3975-87) As a result of this revelation, Hamlet takes the Laertes’ sword and stabs Claudius with the poisoned blade. Hamlet picks up the goblet and forces Claudius to finish the poisoned drink: “Here, thou incestuous, murd'rous, damned Dane, / Drink off this potion! Is thy union here? / Follow my mother.” (5.2.3982-84) Hamlet dies from his wound soon after Claudius death.
Readers can see the theme of deception throughout William Shakespeare’s play, Hamlet, Sometimes the deception can be seen very clearly. Other times, it can be hard to tell whether a person is acting deceitful out of social obedience or personal preference. At times, several of the characters fear they are being deceived. A few of the characters in Hamlet were able to see through the deception. Oftentimes, a deceitful act did not reveal the necessary information a character was looking for. Instead, many times the act of deceit led to a character’s death. Death is the ultimate price many of the characters paid for their deception. Shakespeare’s Hamlet shows readers that even though family and friends can love each other, they still conspire to hide truths through deceptive methods.
Works Cited
Dykstra, James A. "Stagecraft as Statecraft in Hamlet and Measure for Measure." Rollins Undergraduate Research Journal 5.1 (2011): 1-8. scholarship.rollins.edu. Web. 30 Nov. 2014. <http://scholarship.rollins.edu/rurj/vol5/iss1/2>.
Gooch, Michael. "Shakespeare's Hamlet." The Explicator 60.4 (2002): 186-188. Taylor & Francis Online. Web. 30 Nov. 2014. <http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00144940209597707>.
Haverkamp, Anselm. "The Ghost of History: Hamlet and the Politics of Paternity." Law & Literature 18.2 (2006): 171-198. Print.
Shakespeare, William. "Hamlet (complete text)." Open Source Shakespeare. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Nov. 2014. <http://www.opensourceshakespeare.org/views/plays/play_view.php?WorkID=hamlet&Scope=entire&pleasewait=1&msg=pl#a1,s1>.
Tenbrunsel, Ann E., and David M. Messick. "Ethical Fading: The Role of Self-Deception in Unethical Behavior." Social Justice Research 17.2 (2004): 223-236. Print.
