In William Shakespeare's Hamlet, the protagonist, Hamlet, exhibits a puzzling,
             deceitful nature. Hamlet contradicts himself throughout the play. He endorses both the
             virtues of acting a role and that of being true to one's self. He further supports both of
             these conflicting endorsements with his actions. This contradiction is demonstrated by his
             alleged madness, for he does behave madly, only to become perfectly calm and rational an
             instant later. These inconsistencies are related with the internal dilemmas he faces. He
             struggles with the issue of revenging his father's death-vowing to kill Claudius and then
             backing out, several times because his personal feelings get involved. Upon this point
             Hamlet stammers through the play. The reason for this teetering is directly related to his
             inability to form a solid opinion about role playing. If Hamlet were to stay committed to
             one character, true or false, and not become so wrapped up in his own opinions and
             guilt, perhaps the ending of the play would have worked as planned and justice would
             have been served to the right people, not the innocent.
             In the first act, Hamlet appears to be very straightforward in his actions and inner
             state. When questioned by Gertrude about his low-spirited appearance, Hamlet says,
             "Seems, madam? Nay it is. I know not 'seems.' (1.2.). This is to say "I am what I
             appear to be." Later In Act I, Hamlet makes a clear statement about his state when he
             commits himself to revenge. In this statement the play makes an easy to follow shift. This
             shift consists of Hamlet giving up the role of a student and mourning son. Hamlet says,
             "I'll wipe away all trivial fond records, All saws of books, all forms, all pressures past,
             That youth and observation copied there, And thy commandment all alone shall live
             Within the book and volume of my brain" (1.5.). Hamlet is declaring that he will be
             committed to nothing else but the rev...