Act V - The Beginning of the End for the Royal Family
 | At the start of the act, Larates accepts Hamlets apology for Ophelias tragic death, but only so he can deceive him into playing a sword fight with him. He uses deception to trick Hamlet into allowing him more trust, which is a big mistake. Later on, in Claudius's attempt to poison Hamlet, he mixes up and accidentally kills Gertrude. This is one way that deception goes terribly wrong in the play. The final way Deception is used in the book is when Fortinbras's army attacks. This happens after he told Hamlet that he would not. He tricked Hamlet into letting him through, which ended in the initial downfall of the kingdom. |
In the final act, deception and false appearances are used the most often, especially since its when the whole play falls apart. One way false appearances is used is when Hamlet confronts Claudius and Laertes about Ophelia going mad. Hamlet calls Laertes out on showing "false grief" and claimed that he loved her more than Laertes did. After Hamlet leaves, Claudius talks to Gertrude, telling her, "set some watch over your son.-this grave shall have a living monument" This is a clear sign that Claudius wants her to betray her son's trust and make sure he doesnt get in the way of Claudius's plans. Another is Hamlet tricking Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. He changes the order for him to be killed into the order for them to be killed by forging a note. He talks about his deception to Horatio, saying, "Which was the model of the Danish seal; Folded the writ up in form of the other, subscribed it, gave't the impression, placed it safely, the changeling never known" His plan just shows his new hatred for his old friends after he learned that they had betrayed him. |
