There is no doubt that William Shakespeare and Henrik Ibsen are two of the greatest, if not the greatest, authors who ever walked the earth. Considered the one of the most influential and powerful works in the world of literature, “Hamlet” by William Shakespeare and “A Doll's House” written by Henrik Ibsen both incorporate the use of various literary devices to depict the theme according to. which truth is rarely pure and never simple works, the reader can easily identify the fundamental theme of the impossibility of certainty. The certainty of knowledge depends on the perfection and authenticity of the conditions upon which the knowledge was. derivative The aim of this article is to compare and contrast the two works with the aim of illustrating the presence and relevance of the theme that "the truth is rarely pure and never simple" in both dramatic works. Additionally, the essay will lean towards the theme of the impossibility of certainty. Literary techniques such as motif and characterization will be used in the development of this article. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay In “Hamlet,” Shakespeare plays the main character; Hamlet as someone who is constantly searching for a surer and more authentic knowledge of what he does. Hamlet's continued search for the truth causes him to postpone his intentions to take revenge on his uncle for the murder of his father. In this play, certain questions arise that present the impossibility of certainty. For example, is there certain and concrete knowledge about ghosts? Are ghosts really what they appear to be or are they simply deceptive demons? Do ghosts have genuine and valid knowledge of their deaths or are they deluding themselves? All of these questions arise from the fact that Hamlet's actions are a result of his interaction with the ghost of his father who claims that it was his brother Claudius who killed him. The conditions under which Hamlet learned of his father's death are rather uncertain because they come from a ghost, a creature whose own existence has baffled many. From the play, the audience can easily see that Prince Hamlet is unsure of the reliability of the ghost's information. Additionally, it is difficult to know with certainty the facts regarding a crime that has no witnesses, as was the case with the king's death. Another example where Hamlet acquires unreliable information is his assessment of the soul and behavior of his uncle Claudius as he attempts to determine the facts about his father's death. Is it really possible to know a person's state of mind by reading their behavior? “Hamlet” introduces audiences to the many uncertainties of life and the many unknown variables that are overlooked when people judge the actions and behaviors of others. “The truth is rarely pure and simple”, is a quote coined by Oscar Wilde and its relevance can be highlighted in both “Hamlet” and “A Doll's House”. In Henrik Ibsen's “A Doll's House,” Nora, the main character, lives in constant agony and fear because of a secret she kept from her husband. In the play, Nora reveals to her friend Mrs. Linde that she had actually borrowed money from a man with a tainted reputation in order to finance a trip to Italy essential to save the life of her ill husband Torvald. Nora, however, lied to her husband saying that she acquired the money from her father by choosing to hide the true source of the money because she knew that her husband did notwould not approve of it. It is revealed later in the story that Nora had actually borrowed money from a Mr. Nils Krogstad, a disreputable employee at the same bank her husband worked at. As the play unfolds, Mr. Krogstad is under threat of losing his job by being fired by Torvald and after realizing this, Mr. Krogstad approaches Nora and asks her to stop his husband to fire him, otherwise he will reveal his long-kept secret. Krogstad further explains to Nora that he proved that she forged her father's signature on an IOU. Nora is deeply troubled by the situation and tries to convince her husband not to fire Krogstad, but Torvald remains adamant. Nora lives in constant fear that her secret will be revealed and even considers suicide as the worst case scenario. When Krogstad delivers a letter to Torvald, Nora declares that she has only thirty-one hours left to live (Ibsen, 2.5.35). Nora's continued flight from the truth causes her to lead a miserable life because she chose not to face the reality of her situation. Instead, her hiding from the truth became her source of misery and she enjoyed her life very little. This example is a clear representation of the quote; “the truth is rarely pure and never simple”. In Shakespeare’s “Hamlet,” the use of characterization was used to develop the truth in its complexity. Claudius in the story deceives everyone about the murder of his brother and his intentions to wrest the throne from his rightful heir, Prince Hamlet. Claudius attempts to mask his deception by attempting to "balance the grief" of his brother's death by marrying his deceased brother's wife. An act that was not well received by many. Additionally, there is one instance in which we see Claudius express his guilt for his actions in an aside; “The cheek of the prostitute, embellished by the art of plaster, is no uglier to what helps her than my act is to my most painted word: O heavy burden! (Shakespeare, 3.1.50). In this statement, it is evident that Claudius regrets his actions and is burdened by the thought of what he has done. Claudius' flight from the truth leads him to live a busy life and entangles him in a web of lies that ultimately leads to his demise. Additionally, Claudius' deception causes the deaths of many people around him and often in ironic ways. His initial plot to kill Hamlet with poison proves futile and instead his new wife, Gertrude, drinks the poison. His other plan of killing Hamlet with a poisoned sword also fails and it is Laertes who is impaled by the poisoned blade. In (Shakespeare, 3.2.44-47), King Claudius illustrates his slight remorse for killing his brother. Claudius further recognizes his own wickedness and wickedness when he turns pale and runs away during the play and later confesses his actions, saying, "what if this cursed hand were thicker than it with his brother's blood?" Is there not enough rain in the sweet sky to make it white as snow? (Shakespeare, 3.2.43). Claudius's attempts to escape the truth lead him to lead a life burdened by the murder of his brother. Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get a personalized article from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay Another example of how the theme truth is rarely pure and simple is depicted in "A Doll's House", is at the end of the story in which Nora Helmer chooses to separate from her husband and of the society in which she feels lied to and underestimated. Nora Helmer's deceptive activities are revealed at the end of the play. Her husband is consumed by fear that Nora's secret will be revealed to..