Essay: Discover Hamlet’s Hidden Theme of Acting and See Clues in The Play and Metaphors

When people first see “Hamlet,” they tend to over look a major theme in the play. Themes that initially come to mind are murder, incest, and revenge. However, an often unseen theme is “acting”. Although acting is not the central theme in “Hamlet,” its recurrence is of importance in the play. The acting in the play causes many viewers to contemplate a variety of issues as the tale unfolds. One will wonder whether or not Hamlet is mad, if Gertrude is aware that her first husband’s brother murdered him, and whether or not she should believe Hamlet or King Claudius. The play within the play reveals a truth in Hamlet’s real life, one of which the other characters are unaware. Each of the characters in Hamlet’s life are playing false roles. Behind each façade is someone unwilling to show who he or she true self. Acting within the play, in conjunction with the use of metaphors, challenge preconceived notions. This in turn helps to story reach its climax.
Most people perceive madness as the play’s central theme. However, another important theme is the congruence between the characters’ true identity actions and the ones they portray. Shakespeare builds his play off of the acting. Every one of the characters deceives Hamlet in one-way or another. An example of this is when Ophelia, Hamlets one true love is actually spying on him. The deception Hamlet is forced to face is what drives his character. Another example of how Shakespeare uses acting to build his play is his use of a play within a play, in which he calls “The Mousetrap.” He does this to portray the theme of acting in Hamlet. At first the play is meant to lift Hamlets spirits. However, Hamlet gets a hold of the actors and asks them to act in a play in which Hamlet creates. During the play “ The Mousetrap,” the actors act out Claudius’ killing the King of Denmark who is also known as King Hamlet. Shakespeare’s idea of a play within a play does an exceptional job of conveying his message.
Initially, viewers realize that the actors in the play have a purpose. This purpose is to evoke guilt in Claudius. Seeing guilt in him will expose his truth. It is not an easy task being that the actors have to portray a serious event. More significantly they have to fake events and emotions accurately. It is important to do this correctly so that the audience can see the real characters and emotions of Claudius and Hamlet. Without the actors being able to portray the scene of Hamlet’s father’s death, the audience would never have seen Claudius’ underlying guilt.
The play “The Mousetrap,” is not the only part of the play where acting is important. Another time where we see how “acting” creates the play is when Hamlet acts mad. Throughout most of the play Hamlet acts insane. However, he tells his friends that it is just an act,
“Here as before, never, so help you mercy.
How strange or odd some’er I bear myself
(As I perchance hereafter shall think meet
To put on an antic disposition on”(HAM 1.5 167-170).
Hamlet plays the part of a mad man so well that to this day it is being argued that maybe he really was insane. Everything Hamlet does, he does in a dramatic fashion. Some scholars wonder whether or not Hamlet was studying in an acting school.
William Shakespeare was both a playwright and poet. Shakespeare is famous for using different metaphors in all of his works. In Hamlet, the theater is used as a metaphor or symbol to bring justice to his play. If were looking through the eyes of the audience we would believe the play is a metaphor for King Hamlet’s death. There is also a portrayal of imagery. Hamlet’s stage imagery starts at the beginning of the play but remains an important part of the tragic play’s final scene. One scene where we see an importance in imagery is when Hamlet’s father reappears as a ghost. It is almost as if he wanted to be in the play to maybe send a message of his own.
Shakespeare, being one of the greatest playwrights, was incredibly adept at using metaphors. The play within the play, grabs audience’s attention. Shakespeare uses acting within the play to relay messages. As if the play was not intense enough, he succeeds in intensifying it even further. Also, the way Hamlet “acts” mad, is the driving force of the whole play.