Symbolism In Hamlet

Many characters in Hamlet display a false front, hiding their true nature and intentions while acting out the role society has given them to keep their power.
This is seen through Hamlet by William Shakespeare, as King Claudius becomes corrupt and presents an image of a caring and loving leader, when in fact, he has ulterior motives.
The painting enhances the text by showing one of the characters who most prominently conveys the theme of appearance versus reality, providing evidence for Claudius’s choice of actions and words throughout the play.
As a character, Claudius is selfish and evil, masking his true intentions by displaying the acts of care, similar to that of a manipulative snake, also sacrificing his love for Gertrude to keep himself from suspicion.
One of the symbols that conveys his appearance in front of the people of Denmark, is the white mask which shows how King Claudius puts on a false front of a considerate ruler when he speaks of his deceased brother Hamlet, “Though yet of Hamlet, our dear brother's death the memory be green, and that it us befitted to bear our hearts in grief, and our whole kingdom to be contracted in one brow of
O my dear Hamlet! The drink, the drink! I am poisoned" (5.2.319-320). During a fencing match, Claudius puts a pearl in the cup which is originally meant to kill Hamlet, however, Gertrude takes it and drinks the poisoned wine. While doing so, Claudius does not make an effort to stop her which is evidence that he only appears to be a good king who cares about his people, as well as his beloved wife. Claudius sacrifices his love by acting on his own selfish intentions, as he let Gertrude drink the poison out of the cup to avoid any suspicion of treason. Therefore, the red background symbolizes the red wine and Gertrude’s death, also connecting to the theme of appearance versus