Hamlet: Playing the Roles In William Shakespeare's Hamlet, the protagonist exhibits a puzzling, duplicitous nature. Hamlet contradicts himself throughout the play, endoring both the virtues of acting a role and that of being true to one's self. He further supports both of these conflicting endorements with his actions. This ambiguity is demonstrated by his alleged madness, 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. The reason f