Character Development Through Deception and Identity

Introduction

Deception and disguising one’s identity can lead to many outcomes, including positive or negative ones. In Shakespeare's Hamlet and Nadia Hashimi’s The Pearl That Broke Its Shell, these themes play a significant role in the narratives. Although the themes of deception can be linked to many characters in each novel, the characters that use deception and disguising identity to show character development are Hamlet from Hamlet and Rahima from The Pearl That Broke Its Shell.

Character Development Through Deception and Identity in Hamlet

Firstly, the theme of deception and disguising one’s identity is very significant in Shakespeare's Hamlet. This play revolves around the ideas of revenge and deception. When Hamlet discovers that his uncle killed his father, he is determined to get justice for his father's death. Deception is evident when Hamlet says, “'Seems,' madam? Nay it is. I know not 'seems'. Tis not alone my inky cloak, good mother, Nor customary suits of solemn black, Nor windy suspiration of forced breath, No, nor the fruitful river in the eye, Nor the dejected havior of the visage, Together with all forms, moods, shapes of grief, That can denote me truly. These indeed 'seem', For they are actions that a man might play: But I have that within which passes show, These but the trappings and the suits of woe.” From this scene, Hamlet portrays himself as someone who values truth above all else and despises deceit. He implies that Claudius and Gertrude are disingenuous and fake, just like the rest of the court, because they do not genuinely care about his feelings. By portraying himself as a victim, Hamlet shifts attention to the king and queen, allowing him to continue his plan to seek revenge on the king.

Although Hamlet is deeply angered by what happened to his father, using deception as a grieving mechanism gives him time to contemplate his actions. Hamlet hesitates to kill the king because he fears facing a similar fate. In Act 3, Hamlet describes how his emotions are intensifying, affecting his confidence to kill the king. He starts having suicidal thoughts, as shown through the well-known line, “To be, or not to be, that is the question: Whether ‘tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune” (Shakespeare). Hamlet is torn between enduring his suffering and contemplating taking his own life, as he longs to be free from misery but fears death. This leads to Hamlet's character development; he hesitates to kill the king because he wants to remain pure. Although he was once sure of avenging his father's death, he now questions whether it is a good idea and what the outcome will be.

At this point in the play, Hamlet understands what he needs to do and starts to evolve into a greater person than he was before. Although he eventually kills the king, Hamlet becomes a new person who is confident and prepared for the consequences, as evidenced by his statement, “The readiness is all” (Shakespeare). Throughout the play, Hamlet uses deception and disguises his identity multiple times, allowing him to evolve as a character.

Character Development Through Deception and Identity in The Pearl That Broke Its Shell

Furthermore, deception and disguising one’s identity are major themes in Nadia Hashimi's The Pearl That Broke Its Shell. As a young girl in Afghanistan, Rahima does not have freedom written in her naseeb. She endures many challenges at a young age to attain the same privileges as a male. When Rahima decides to leave her abusive husband, she disguises her identity and uses deception to successfully achieve her freedom. At a young age, Rahima adopted the identity of bacha posh and lived like a boy for many years. When the day of escape came, Rahima feigned illness, claiming, “[she’s] not feeling well at all...it's [her stomach]. It must be something [she] ate last night.” Rahima uses the excuse of being sick to avoid accompanying her family and gain freedom.

When the time to escape her husband came, she reverted to the identity she used as bacha posh to facilitate her escape. She became comfortable with being a male, saying, “Funny how I slipped back into this person, how comfortable I [feel] even though my nerves were on fire.” Rahima had heard many stories about her great-great-grandmother, who dreamed of freedom and attained it; now, Rahima’s only goal was to follow Shekiba’s instructions and achieve her own freedom. However, females are not allowed to roam freely without the company of a male. She decides to hide her identity as a female and portray herself as a male.

The themes of deception and hiding one's identity are crucial factors in this novel because they lead to the development of Rahima’s character. She is able to attain her freedom and earn the rights she deserves as a human being. Due to living in an environment where inequality plays a significant role in society, Rahima is encouraged to forge her own destiny and achieve it through concealing herself.

Conclusion

In conclusion, in both novels, the characters Hamlet and Rahima are able to achieve their goals by using deception and disguising their identities. The characters gradually develop into confident individuals who are able to accomplish what they set their minds and hearts to. This exploration of deception and identity highlights the complexity of human nature and the lengths individuals will go to in order to achieve their desires.

References

1. Shakespeare, W. (n.d.). Hamlet.
2. Hashimi, N. (2014). The Pearl That Broke Its Shell. HarperCollins.