PG 833: #3

Appearance and reality are both extremely significant themes in Hamlet. Appearance is how something "seems" or "looks" while reality is the state of existence of something. In Hamlet, Claudius "appears" to be the rightful and true King of Denmark but in reality, is the murderer of his brother, Hamlet. Claudius killed his brother, the former King, solely for political gain. In Hamlet, reality is hidden by appearance. King Claudius' manipulating and pompous persona distracts the other actors and actresses in the play. Hamlet, King Hamlet's son, is the proper King because he naturally has an authoritative personality. Compared to Claudius, Hamlet is much more fit to rule Denmark BUT Claudius managed to cast a great deal of support by the "blind" people on himself. Ultimately, reality can easily be covered by appearance just as Hamlet is in this play.