Deception and pursuit of power were prominent in the Shakespearean era. "A lie that is half-truth is the darkest of all lies. " - Alfred Tennyson. This notion explains that deceitful acts come with appropriate consequences. Deception is the act of deceiving, convincing someone of something that is not true, or to give a mistaken impression. Characters in plays written by Shakespeare have always had, characteristics which easily and effectively conveyed the themes associated with his works. Deception with noble intent is the concept of deceiving for the betterment of other people. Ignoble intentions are the acts for which other people are harmed, for ones own well-being. In Hamlet, Shakespeare indicates that people who deceive with noble intentions will be rewarded, whereas people who deceive with ignoble intentions will endure suffering. This theme is developed through Shakespeare's play Hamlet, using leading characters showing noble and ignobles traits such as Hamlet and Polonius, as well as King Claudius, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern who solely demonstrate ignoble actions.
The play Hamlet begins with deception as Claudius has killed his brother, King Hamlet, in order to take power and the love of his wife as well. Throughout the play the newly crowned king Claudius misleads the state of Denmark by keeping the death of Old Hamlet a secret and does not let the rumour believed to be that Old Hamlet was killed by a serpent be known as untrue. It is not until later in Act 1, scene 5 when Hamlet is able to find out for sure his father was murdered when he speaks with the ghost of his father himself, "But know, thou noble youth,/ The serpent that did sting thy father's life/ Now wears his crown " (1.5.38-40). Later, Claudius is seen giving a speech, acting as if he feels sorrow and remorse over the death of his brother, and former king, Hamlet. It is his doing to deceive the people, and fool them into thinking that he actually feels remorse over his brother's death.
