A common theme in Shakespeare's plays is that of illusion and reality. It can be seen at work in a variety of ways in Hamlet.
The distinction between illusion and reality would appear to be obvious at first glance, but in fact, as Shakespeare illustrates, it often is not clear at all. What is perceived to be 'real', is often decided by the individual. The word 'real' also includes the idea of truth and, as can be seen in Hamlet, truth is frequently hard to see because a decision can only be made according to knowledge and experience.
The play opens with a night setting and the first discussion we hear is about a ghost between a few soldiers. Immediately we are drawn into the theme - did they really see a ghost?
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