om trying to take the kingdom and destroy what Claudius has worked for so long to gain.To this end Claudius wears his mask. But is Claudius really the mask or what he is underneath? This is called into question when Claudius tries to seek redemption for his sins. This scene shows that his character, like Hamlets is not quite as clear cut as most men. Claudius wrestles with his guilt by asking himself, ^УWhere to serves mercy/ But to confront the visage of offense?/ And that^Тs in prayer but his twofold force,/ to be forestalled are we come to fall,/ Or pardoned being down?^Ф He then answers his own question by saying, ^УBut, O, what form of prayer/ can serve my turn? ^УForgive me my foul murder?^Ф/ That cannot be, since I am still possessed/ of those efforts for which I did the murder!/ My crown, mine own ambition, and my queen.^Ф So Claudius comes to the understanding that, even though he wears redemption like his outside self, his real self cannot give up the trappings of this position. Claudius, in his questioning, has separated the mask from the person and has found that the mask is the fake Claudius. Not every character is so confused as to their nature, however.The females roles in Hamlet are confused in a much different way. Both Ophelia and Gertrude mask themselves to the harsh realities of their life. Ophelia^Тs mask is far more fragile than any other. Despite Hamlets almost incessant cruelty to Ophelia drives her, eventually insane. She puts up a defense at first, trying to protect herself from Hamlet^Тs cruelty, but it fails. Ophelia believes for awhile , that Hamlet loves her deeply, and that he would never harm her directly. But soon, through his words and his actions, such as killing her father, shatters her mask that served to protect her from Hamlets assaults. When the truth and reality bit her, she breaks under its pressure and commits suicide. Gertrude, the other ...
