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Hamlet Appearance vs Reality Quotes

BERNARDO: Who’s there?
FRANCISCO: Nay, answer me: stand and unfold yourself.

– William Shakespeare

Hamlet, Act 1, Scene 1. The opening lines of Hamlet. The guards have been seeing apparitions of the dead king Hamlet on the castle rampards. It is midnight and there is an atmosphere of tension and uncertainty. The lines speaks to the themes of identity and appearance vs reality. They also foreshadow the occasions where characters are faced with the question – who is this person, who is really there?

O most pernicious woman!
O villain, villain, smiling, damned villain!
My tables, – meet it is I set it down,
That one may smile, and smile, and be a villain:
At least I’m sure it may be so in Denmark.

– William Shakespeare

Hamlet, Act 1, Scene 5. Hamlet is enraged after the Ghost’s revelation that his father was murdered by his own brother Claudius, who took the crown and Gertrude, Hamlet’s mother, as his Queen. He describes his mother as wicked, and Claudius as a smiling villain. Hamlet’s comment of how one can smile and be a villain is a perfect example of how people can be two-faced and hypocritical and hide their true nature from the world.

You are a fishmonger.

– William Shakespeare

Hamlet, Act 2, Scene 2. Hamlet’s response to Polonius’ question, "Do you know me, my lord?" It has been said that fishmonger is slang for pimp, suggesting that Polonius has been willing to sell his daughter’s happiness in exchange for honors from the king. Hamlet is also pretending not to recognize the councilor to the king and feigning madness, allowing him to mock and ridicule Polonius. He is punning by comparing Polonius to a fisherman, since Polonius is trying to fish for answers from Hamlet.

I have of late – but wherefore I know not – lost all my mirth, forgone all custom of exercises; and indeed, it goes so heavily with my disposition that this goodly frame, the earth, seems to me a sterile promontory; this most excellent canopy, the air, look you, this brave o’erhanging firmament, this majestical roof fretted with golden fire, why, it appears no other thing to me than a foul and pestilent congregation of vapours.

– William Shakespeare

Hamlet, Act 2, Scene 2. Hamlet to Rosencrantz and Guildenstern on the depression that has afflicted him since the death of his father. The glorious earth, excellent air, beautiful sky, golden sun, are not what they appear to be. To him they they are foul diseased vapors – a reference to the corruption and rotting morality in Denmark.

What a piece of work is a man! how noble in reason! How infinite in faculty! in form and moving how express and admirable! in action how like an angel! in apprehension how like a god! the beauty of the world! the paragon of animals! And yet, to me, what is this quintessence of dust? man delights not me; no, nor woman neither, though, by your smiling, you seem to say so.

– William Shakespeare

Hamlet, Act 2, Scene 2. A melancholic Hamlet is not seeing seeing the world and people as others do. He begins by saying that there so much beauty in a human, a masterpiece with unlimited abilities, angelic in action, godlike in understanding. That’s the appearance. To him in reality humans are just a "quintessence of dust." He feels betrayed a number of people close to him, who are not what they seem to be. He doesn’t trust Claudius, his mother, Polonius, he knows Ophelia is likely being used as a pawn against him, and "friends" Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are spying on him for the King.

The play’s the thing
Wherein I’ll catch the conscience of the king.

– William Shakespeare

Hamlet, Act 2, Scene 2. Hamlet wants to gather more evidence on whether Claudius is guilty of murdering his father, as the Ghost has claimed. So he uses theater to assess the truth and test the guilt of the King. He plans to stage a play about a similar murder and watch his uncle’s reaction to it. An example of dramatic irony, as Claudius, along with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern know nothing of Hamlet’s plan to confirm his suspicions about the King.

With devotion’s visage
And pious action we do sugar o’er
The devil himself.

– William Shakespeare

Hamlet, Act 3, Scene 1. Polonius to Ophelia, saying that we use the appearance of religious devotion and piety to mask the evil within ourselves. He is giving a prayerbook to her to read. The quote refers to hypocrisy, people pretending to someone they are not. Polonius is the hypocrite here, as he demands that his daughter pretend to read the prayer book while he and King Claudius hide to spy on Hamlet when he arrives for his encounter with Ophelia. Polonius doing what he does best – being deceiptful.

Are you honest?…
Are you fair?…
For the power of beauty will sooner transform honesty from what it is to be a bawd…
I did love you once.

– William Shakespeare

Hamlet, Act 3, Scene 1. Hamlet to Ophelia, asking her if she is pure and beautiful. He says that the power of beauty is more likely to change a good girl into a whore, and adds that he used to love her. He is very insulting to Ophelia’s chastity. This is an example of dramatic irony, as Hamlet is really venting his anger towards his mother Gertrude, being disgusted by the process of love and marriage, and believing that beauty corrupts virtue. The cruel and cynical outburst to Ophelia is misdirected here, she is being used by all the men in the scene, her father Polonius, Claudius and by Hamlet, to vent his frustrations towards his mother.

What! frighted with false fire?

– William Shakespeare

Hamlet, Act 3, Scene 2. Hamlet asks this of Claudius, when Ophelia announces "The king rises," just it gets to the part of the play where the Player King is poisoned. It is obvious Claudius is displeased and appears to betray his guilt in the poisoning of King Hamlet. The murder of the king in the play has startled Claudius enough for him to stop the play. Hamlet’s remark is ironic because he and the audience know exactly why Claudius is acting the way he is but Hamlet must play ignorant and continue to appear mad.
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