Many individuals lack the ability to struggle through life's difficulties; as a result, many are forced to neglect life's problems and pretend that everything is tolerable, or to escape into fantasy in the hope of a better life. In William Shakespeare's play Hamlet, it is argued that truth sets individuals free, and along with this truth, people's illusions are broken. This behavior of disillusionment is clearly evident in the play's main character, Hamlet. As the play progresses, Hamlet is bombarded with the truth about others which ultimately changes his outlook on life. This new truth resonates with Hamlet and forces him to come to the conclusion that life is evil, painful, and subject to the “slings and arrows of outrageous fortune.” Through this insight the structure of Hamlet's life collapses, but he is able, for the first time, to judge the world on its true merits and adapt to make sense of the world. Hamlet can be seen as a play about obligations, particularly Hamlet's struggle with his duty to his father: Hamlet must “avenge his disgusting and unnatural murder.” The appearance of old Hamlet's ghost not only sets up the plot but also helps to destroy Hamlet's illusion about his parents' relationship since his mother committed adultery with Hamlet's uncle Claudius. This marks one of the many points where Hamlet loses parts of his life structure. Furthermore, a theme of appearance versus reality surrounds Hamlet due to the fact that the characters present a different outward appearance than they are on the inside. In the play, Claudius shows an appearance of kindness and sensitivity, but in truth he uses this false and caring character as a mask to cover his selfishness and evil personality... middle of paper... Hamlet is a play about the truths, betrayals and struggles of life. The main character Hamlet struggles to find his place in the cruel and painful world created through the constant destruction of his illusions about others. Throughout the play Hamlet is faced with many truths that destroy the structure of his life and as a result he is forced to adapt to the ever-changing world around him. In this way, Hamlet's personality changes radically from the personality he had at the beginning of the play. This is due to the multiple witnesses to Hamlet's betrayal within the play; from his mother to his lover (Ophelia). Throughout Hamlet William Shakespeare explores ideas of self-denial and the evolution of individual personality; using Hamlet as a conduit, Shakespeare states that individuals must understand their own problems and adapt accordingly instead of living in an illusion.