suicide because of the situation he is in. “To be or not to be” (III. iii. 73). Hamlet would rather be dead than live with the thought of his father’s death going unavenged. When the opportunity was there to avenge his father’s death, Hamlet did not act. He believed that the timing was not right. “Now might I do it pat, now he is praying; And now I’ll do’t: and so he goes to heaven; And so am I reveng’d. That would be scann’d: A villain kills my father; and for that, I, his sole son, do this same villain sent to heaven. Why, this is hire and salary, not revenge” (III. iii. 74-80). Hamlet says here that he has his chance to kill his father’s murderer, but he is praying. By killing him while he is praying would mean that his soul goes to heaven. If his soul went to heaven then it would not be revenge. This isn’t insane thinking. An insane person would have completed the murder at this opportunity and not wait. They would have been more apt to act on impulse. Hamlet’s madness only existed when he was in the presence of certain characters. When Hamlet is around Polonius, Claudius, Gertrude, Ophelia, Rosencrantz, and Gildenstern, he behaves irrationally. Shakespeare has Hamlet behave in the manner to further prove the theme of appearances is deceptive. Appearances may not always be what they seem. Hamlet learns this tragic lesson too late. Shakespeare utilizes the motif of madness to help depict the theme of appearances are deceptive. He also uses the characters within the play all help to show the theme, that being appearance verses reality. As each character is presented in the play all appear to be good and honest making it a difficult task for Hamlet to uncover the hidden truth about the nature of each character. As Hamlet dies, he dies with his dignity and revenge. Appearances may have been deceptive, but Hamlet ...
