In Shakespeare’s tragedy, Hamlet, there is a prevalent and almost overwhelming theme. All throughout the play, nearly all of the characters appear as one person, with one standpoint and one outlook. However, on the inside, all of these characters are completely different. This “mask” theme, the way that all of the characters portray themselves as one person on the outside and are a different one on the inside, is not in the least disguised by Shakespeare. Claudius, the murdering king, appears to be a somewhat kind, caring and friendly person, but inside he is different. He is cold, calculating and self-serving, however, this might also be a mask. The women in the play, Ophelia and Gertrude, both use a mask to cover what is obvious in their lives, masking it so that they can continue living as if their existence was without cruelty. Finally Hamlet hides behind his madness, be it real or pretend, a person who is indecisive and spiteful. Characters in this play hide behind a mask of falseness. From behind this mask they give the impression of a person who is sincere and genuine, in reality they are plagued with lies and evil. In the same way as these characters, people in modern day life hide behind masks of their own.The mask theme develops throughout the play as various characters try to cover their secret intentions with an outward display of a whole other person. One of the most obvious is Claudius. Claudius murdered his brother, the former King Hamlet, in order to become king himself. This murder was done in secret with no one but Claudius knowing that the act was committed by him. Not only is he now the king of Denmark, but he is also married to the Queen Gertrude, his brother’s former wife. These hideous and awful crimes have not been punished, and no one knows what Claudius has done. When Claudius encounters anyone, he must become someone totally different. He puts on a mask, he is no lon...
