The concepts of deception and illusion are central themes in Shakespeare's Hamlet and are illustrated throughout the tragedy in numerous scenes. Many of the characters in the play are involved in schemes designed to deceive or even kill others. Characters like Claudius, Hamlet, and Polonius are good examples of deceptive characters, as they are the masterminds behind the main plans of the play. Through their deceptive actions and words, these three characters best embody the two central themes. First, Hamlet's deceitful nature, visible in his words and actions, helps illustrate the themes of deception and illusion. For example, Hamlet's enactment of "The Mousetrap" is part of his plot to kill Claudius. His plan is to stage a play that closely resembles Hamlet. Finally, Hamlet manages to deceive his enemies by feigning madness. His “antique temperament” distracts attention from his real plans. For example, when speaking to Polonius in Act II, Hamlet first identifies him as a "fish merchant" and responds to Polonius with strange responses (Shakespeare, Act II, Scene 2). Polonius realizes that there might be a method to his madness, but does not know what Hamlet intends to accomplish. The only people who believe Hamlet is crazy are Claudius and the people he manipulates (Crawford, “Hamlet's Antic Disposition”). However, there are many examples that prove that Hamlet's madness is just a deception. Hamlet tells Horatio of his plan to feign madness, saying, “But now listen to me. No matter how strange I act (since I may find it appropriate to act a little crazy in the near future), you must never, ever imply – with a wave of your hands or a certain expression on your face – that you know something. about what happened to me here tonight. You should never say something like, "Ah, yes, as we suspected" or "We could tell you a thing or two." Claudius managed to fool everyone by hiding the fact that he actually murdered King Hamlet. For example, Hamlet's ghost reveals to Hamlet the truth about his murder. He tells her: “Everyone was told that a poisonous snake had bitten me while I was sleeping in the orchard. But in fact, it is a lie that has deceived everyone in Denmark. You should know, my noble son, that the true serpent that stung your father now wears his crown” (Crowther, Act I, Scene 5). Despite the murder of his brother, Claudius does not greatly regret his actions. In fact, he only asks God for forgiveness after seeing his sins unfold in “The Mousetrap” (Shakespeare, Act III, Scene 3). However, Claudius is caught between the desire not to give up everything he has gained through his duplicity and the guilt born from his sins (Goddard, “On Hamlet”). After finishing praying for forgiveness, Claudius gives up repentance, saying, “My words fly away, my thoughts remain below” (Crowther, Act III, Scene 3). Claudius also deceives Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. Claudius asks the two men to discover the reason for Hamlet's sullen mood, saying, "Since you both grew up with him and know his personality and behavior so well, I ask you to stay a while at court and spend time with him. . See if you can get Hamlet to have fun and find out if there's anything in particular that's bothering him, then