FREE ESSAY ON MASKS OF HAMLET

MASKS OF HAMLET

Masks of Hamlet
In Shakespeare's tragedy, Hamlet, there is a prevalent and almost overwhelming theme. All
throughout the play, all of the characters appear as one thing, 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 one 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.
But this might also be a mask. The women in the play, Ophelia and Gertrude, both use a
type of mask to cover what is obvious in their lives, masking it so that they can
continue living as if their existence was without cruelty. And finally Hamlet hides
behind his madness, be it real or pretend, a person who is indecisive and spiteful. Masks
in this play are not just a theme; they are the whole basis of it.
The mask theme develops throughout the play as various characters try to cover their
secret intentions with a veneer of a whole other person. One of the most obvious, of
course is Claudius. Claudius murdered his brother, the former king Hamlet, in order to
become king himself. This murder, which was done in secret, with no one but Claudius
knowing that the act was committed by him. Not only is he the King of Denmark, but he is
also married to Queen Gertrude, his brothers former wife. These hideous and awful crimes
have not been punished, and no one knows that Claudius has done this. When Claudius
confronts anyone, he must become someone totally different. Claudius puts on a mask of
his own. He is no longer the self-serving, cold, calculating man that he really is, out
he becomes a kind, caring man who does his very best to ensure that Gertrude stays with
him, and also so that he can do his best to keep Hamlet from 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 woman in the play, has a much stranger mask. She
refuses to see or believe the truth that Hamlet shows her, the truth that Claudius
murdered her husband for the kingdom. She is also convinced of Hamlets madness, but what
he says does not affect her much at all. Even at her death she does not realize of see
the truth of Claudius^Т betrayal. Her mask is one that puts herself into her world.
As long as she lives her life unaffected, she is happy, and she will not let anything
shatter her fantasy.
But the most complicated, and one of the best examples of a mask is Hamlet himself. The
line between Hamlet^Тs mask and his reality is very fine and difficult to
understand. His mask, or as it would seem to be, is his madness. Hamlet certainly acts
the part well, for even if his madness is real, it is still a mask to cover his real self
and his real plans. In his mad delusions he hurts countless people with his verbal
attacks. He ruins his standing and the standing of others as well. Either way his madness
can be looked upon, it still acts as a mask of his real self, an undecided, cruel,
suspicious person who care for little but those who either are close to him, or have
wronged him. Hamlet kills innocent people such as Rosencratz, Guildenstern, and Polonius,
with no thought at all to the possible repercussions that murder could have.
After killing Polonius, Hamlet encounters Laertes, Polonius^Т son. Laertes, knowing
that Hamlet was responsible for Polonius^Т death, attacks Hamlet. Hamlet cannot
understand why; he literally does not realize that Laertes might be enraged with anger.
Later Hamlet blames Polonius^Т death on his own madness, saying to Horatio,
^УIf Hamlet from himself be ta^Тen away,/ And when he^Тs not himself
does wrong Laertes,/ Then Hamlet does it not; Hamlet denies it./ Who does it then? His
madness.^Ф The fact that Hamlet can differentiate between his madness, his mask,
and himself shows that not only does he not care about the damage he causes, but also
that he has a mask and it. If he has a mask of madness, then it proves that he cares not
for Ophelia. His actions towards her are atrocious, his attacks basically unnarrated.
After she kills herself, Hamlet finds her grave site and says, from his true self,
^УI loved Ophelia, Forty thousand brothers/ could not with their quantity of love/
Make up my sum.^Ф If Hamlet loved Ophelia so, then he would not have treated her so
badly. His madness was a mask, no matter how thin, that covered up his resentment of
Ophelia, and women in general. He treats his mother horribly, threatening her, and
forcing her to submit to his will. Also Hamlet shows his real self by forging a death
warrant for them, and having them killed without their last rites. This unabashed cruelty
is not madness- it is Hamlet himself. His madness is a simple cover to mask his real
doings and feelings.
Everyone in Hamlet has a mask. These all serve to provide their ^Уinner selves
^У with protection, and also to enable them to receive something that they want to
get. From the women wanting a perfect world; to Claudius seeking to convince everyone of
his kindness, while inside he is venomous, and to Hamlet and his mad masking of his inner
spite and indecisiveness. The theme of masks is developed early on, and reaches a climax
where all characters at one time hear false appearances. And as such, this theme is the
control basis for the actions of the characters in the play.