Everyone has lied at one point or another in their life. Whether it's a little white lie about a clothing mishap or something that ruined a relationship, lying or hiding the truth is a universal theme that everyone can relate to. In Hamlet, William Shakespeare uses the theme of deception to develop characters and bring about their ultimate downfall in the play. Deception is not only woven into the plot, but it is also depicted through the action and personality of the characters, such as Claudius, Polonius, and Hamlet. The main conflict of the play begins with King Claudius lying. At the start of the play, Claudius had become the new king of Denmark and married his late brother's widow only a month after his brother's death. Not only is his action immoral, but the Ghost later reveals that it was he who took his brother's life with poison poured through the ear: “A snake bit me. / Thus the whole ear of Denmark / Is by process wrought from my death / Grossly mistreated. But know, noble young man, / The serpent that bit your father’s life / Now wears his crown” (IV43-47). Claudius lies to Denmark to make people believe that a snake is killing King Hamlet while he sleeps in the garden. However, the Ghost revealed the truth to Hamlet. Shakespeare uses this lie as a spark to ignite the conflicts between Hamlet and Claudius that ultimately lead to Claudius' death at the end of the novel; however, it says a lot about Claudius' personality. He is selfish and cruel enough to kill his own brother for power without any remorse: "Though the death of Hamlet, our dear brother, / The memory be green, and it suits us / To bear our hearts in sorrow ... / Yet until now discretion has fought with nature / That we are the wisest...... middle of paper ...... shows how truth can come from actions deceptive, but once again demonstrates the tragic end of characters whose death was caused by deception. Deception is the main driving force behind the plot of William Shakespeare's play Hamlet. Although the play arises from Claudius' lie about killing King Hamlet, throughout the play he continues to use deception to develop the characters and create drama in the play. Shakespeare uses the theme of deception to also depict the consequences of deceptions, as evidenced by the deaths of Ophelia, Gertrude, Rosencrantz, Guildenstern, Polonius, Claudius, Laertes, and Hamlet. Certainly, Hamlet was able to discover the truth about his father's death through his own lies, but he ultimately dies because of the web of deception woven by others. Works Cited Shakespeare, William. Hamlet. New York: Washington Square, 1992. Print.