The Loneliness of HamletHamlet was a lonely and isolated character, with few friends and little faith in humanity. His loneliness played a large role in his downfall, alienating him from his friends and family and ultimately taking control of his actions. He did not share the knowledge of his father's murder or the appearance of the ghost with anyone. He couldn't even trust his friends and family, and he hid his true feelings from his only love, Ophelia, driving her to suicide. These events ultimately led to his downfall and could have been avoided by sharing his dilemma. Two of Hamlet's friends, Horatio and Marcellus, were standing guard at the castle one night when they witnessed the first appearance of the ghost of Hamlet's father. They decided to confide in their friend and tell Hamlet what had happened. The next night, the three of them stood guard to wait for the ghost. He appeared and informed Hamlet that his uncle, Claudius, had murdered his father. Immediately afterwards, Hamlet declared that the event should be kept secret: “Never reveal what you saw this evening (I;v;144).” In order to prove the validity of the ghost, Hamlet would have to find proof of his father's murder, without sharing his ideas with anyone. He decided to pretend he was crazy, so that members of the king's court could excuse his behavior while he plotted his revenge. However, while left alone, he was overcome by his "madness" and fell into a deeper state of solitude, ignoring his loved ones, as he contemplated the value of life. "... it goes so heavily with my character that this beautiful framework, the earth seems to me a barren promontory; this most excellent glass roof, the air, look at you, this brave suspended firmament, this majestic roof curled with gold . fire - why it appears to me nothing but a gathering of nauseating and pestilential vapors... (II;ii;289)"While Hamlet was trying to prove his father's murder and take revenge, Claudius discovered that Hamlet knew the truth. Claudius hired two of Hamlet's friends, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, to spy on Hamlet in secret, "...be equal and direct with me, whether you have been called or not (II; ii; 278-79)." Later, Claudius and Polonius, Ophelia's father, also spied on Hamlet when he was with Ophelia, trying to discover the cause of his madness "Ophelia, take you here.