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Following the untimely death of his brother, the newly appointed King Claudius addressed the people of Denmark. He says that he mourns the death of his brother but wastes no time celebrating his marriage to Queen Gertrude who was previously his "sometimes sister". Hamlet, still in mourning, is less enthusiastic about the future of Denmark under King Claudius. Claudius insists on Hamlet looking at Cladius as his new father and that he should be proud to be next in line to "their" throne. Claudius says to Hamlet in Act 1 Scene 2:
"We pray you throw to earth

This unprevailing woe, and think of us
As of a father. For let the world take note,
You are the most immediate to our throne."
Claudius says to Hamlet that it's time to move on and accept Claudius as his new father and King.

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Prince Hamlet is visibly upset by Claudius taking over the throne his father once occupied before his mysterious death. Hamlet felt that something wasn't right about it and once his father came to him in ghost form and revealed that the actual cause of his death was a murder at the hand of Claudius, his sense of reality was shifted. Hamlet sees how King Claudius smiles and happily addresses the people of Denmark knowing that he came to that position by murdering his own brother. In Act 1 Scene 5, Hamlet says:
"O villain, villain, smiling, damnèd villain!
My tables—meet it is I set it down
That one may smile, and smile, and be a villain—
At least I am sure it may be so in Denmark."
Claudius appears to be an innocent man who earned the position of King by unfortunate circumstances, however Hamlet knows that the reality of the situation is that King Claudius is a murderous villain

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Appearance vs Reality Drives Hamlet to Madness

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Appearance vs Reality Drives Hamlet to Madness

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To all of the characters in Hamlet, outside of our protagonist, nothing seems to be wrong about Claudius and Gertrudes wedding and Claudius becoming the new King of Denmark. However, Hamlet knows what the truth of the reality is and when he tries expose the truth, he is driven into complete madness. In Hamlet's pursuit expose what really happened to his late Father, He, his mother Gertrude, and King Claudius all meet their demise.

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Throughout John Shanley's Doubt, Sister Aloysius is skeptical of Father Flynn and his relationship with Donald Muller, a student at the school. Father Flynn tries to be the opposite of Sister Aloysius to the students by being approachable and having a new school style of discipline and teaching. To the student body, Father Flynn is looked at as less threatening than the icy Sister Aloysius. However, Sister Aloysius has a feeling that Father Flynn is getting close to the students this way in order to take advantage of them. Father Flynn plays dumb when the accusations begin to arise. In Scene 7, Father Flynn says to Sister James while discussing the situation, "It's me who cares about that boy, not her. Has she ever reached out a hand to that child or any child in this school? She's like a block of ice!" Father Flynn tries to play off his relationship with Donald Muller as something like him being a hero.

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Sister Aloysius eventually gets Father Flynn out of the school and parish by pretending to have made contact with a past parish of his and receiving information about him having inappropriate relations with a student. Father Flynn takes it upon himself to leave after hearing this, which was basically him admitting guilt. In the final scene, Sister Aloysius is talking to Sister James about how she exposed what Father Flynn really does with Donald Muller. In Scene 9, she says, "Yes. But if he had no such history, the lie wouldn’t have worked. His resignation was his confession. He was what I thought he was. And he’s gone."

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Father Flynn appeared to be an unthreatening and comforting figure for students. Sister Aloysius did not believe Father Flynn's act like many of the people in the school did. Sister Aloysius had a feeling about the reality of Father Flynn's close relationship with Donald Muller. After Father Flynn leaves, he becomes the pastor at another parish near by. Sister Aloysius realizes a new sad reality that is Father Flynn will most likely continue with his behavior where ever he is located.

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The Motherfucker with the Hat (Appearance)

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The Motherfucker with the Hat (Appearance)

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In The Motherfucker with the Hat the main character, Jackie, appears to have finally got his life figured out. In the opening scene, Jackie comes home to his apartment to tell his girlfriend about his new job. He seems to have a really positive outlook on the direction that his life was heading with his job, love life, and recent sobriety. In Scene 1 he celebrates the job with his girlfriend Veronica and says to her, "I did it because of you, Veronica!" Jackie has fought hard to be in the position he gets to and he is looking forward to what the future holds for him.

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Unfortunately, all while Jackie thought his life was turned around and he was headed for a bright future. It is revealed to him that Veronica is sleeping with another man. What makes it even worse is that the other man is Jackie's alcoholics anonymous sponsor and close friend, Ralph D. When Jackie confronts Ralph D., Ralph D gives Jackie a reality check and tells him that Veronica won't be with him again and it's his own fault. In Scene 8, Ralph D says the Jackie, "She ain't coming back though, bro, that much I know. That ship has sailed. And it ain't 'cuz of me, it's 'cuz of you. You fucked around on her, not me. You comported yourself around her like a fuckin' child, got yourself locked up, and proved to her time and time again that you couldn't be counted on as a man."

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Ralph D harshly tells Jackie how it is and why he's found himself in the position that he's in. Jackie's reality is that he was and always will be the man that he was before he got his new job offer. After showing much optimism at the beginning of the play, he ended the play with a broken sobriety and facing jail time again. No matter what Jackie does, he can't escape the fact that he will always be addict and ex-convict and that side of him will never go away.

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In God of Carnage, two sets of parents agree to civilly discuss an incident between their sons. When their meeting first begins, all the adults in the room are very cordial with one another, discussing work and the situation at hand. In Scene 1, one mother, Anette, is thanking the other mother, Veronica, for having this meeting and Veronica says, "I don't see that ay thanks are necessary. Fortunately, there is still such a thing as the art of co-existence, isn't there?" We soon are shown that co-existence is a difficult concept for our characters to grasp.

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The meeting of the parents falls apart as the adults' childish sides bubble up and create conflict that has everyone acting the opposite of how they did when the meeting was first initiated. Interestingly, woven in between the conflict of family vs family, the husbands find themselves siding together against their spouses which creates another level of childish conflict on top. During one of their arguments, Veronica has a line that neatly sums up how they got to the point where things got hostile between everyone. On page 1761, Veronica says, "Behaving well gets you nowhere. Courtesy is a waste of time, it weakens you and undermines you..."

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When the parents meetings begin, they act very buttoned up as to try and appear to each as sophisticated adults. They discuss their professions, artistic interest, and other topics that you are likely to hear discussed at a classy cocktail party. However, as the adults spend more time together and get into the actual topic at hand, they begin to show their true colors. The facade of sophistication is lifted and an animalistic type instinct takes center stage for all the adults. Also, the introduction of alcohol to the situation did not do anyone any favors either.

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In Red, Mark Rothko and his apprentice, Ken, have an on going generational conflict that has them never quite seeing eye to eye. There is a moment, specifically, in Act 4 between the two characters that demonstrates their opposing outlooks on life and art. Ken is talking to Rothko about the new class of artists that are boxing Rothko out. Ken says that the current artists are making pieces that people want to look at with bring popping colors and there is nothing wrong with that. Artists should aim to make things that the public can digest and enjoy easily.

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After hearing Ken's perspective, Rothko gives Ken a reality check and tells him that life isn't bright and colorful like the new age artistic style. Rothko says, "I am not fine. We are not fine. We are anything but fine... Look at these pictures. Look at them! You see the dark rectangle, like a doorway, an aperture, yes but it’s also a gaping mouth letting out a silent howl of something feral and foul and primal and REAL. Not nice. Not fine. Real." (Act 4, Red)

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Ken is a young and optimistic person looking to learn from Rothko, who is the exact opposite of both of those traits. Ken has hope for the future and can appreciate the new artists trying out new styles that express some brightness. Rothko has seen some things in his life and certainly has seen more than Ken. Rothko's piece's represent the often dark side of life. He finds it ridiculous that people are always trying to not face the fact of life that it isn't always going to be sunshine and happiness.

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In Death of a Salesman, Willy Loman prides himself on being a top salesman for the New England division of his company. He has told his family for years how good he is at his and how much of an asset he is to the company. When his wife wonders why he doesn't work in the New York office instead of the New England division he assures them that New England needs him to survive. In Act 1, Willy assures his wife saying, "They don’t need me in New York. I’m the New England man. I’m vital in New England."

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The reality of Willy Loman's work life situation is that he is actually very disposable to his company. What Willy deos is he inflates his position in New England to cover up the reality that the New York office does not need him. Willy’s self-importance barely conceals his fear that he is not needed in New England, either. Willy’s mental survival depends on his believing he is essential, which is why he deceives himself so often throughout the play. Eventually his reality becomes apparent, especially to his son Biff who desperately tries to get his father to face that fact the two of them aren't destined for greatness like Willy thinks that are.

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Willy Loman Being Pulled Back to Reality

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Willy Loman Being Pulled Back to Reality

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There is an intense moment in the end of the play when Willy's son, Biff, tries to get Willy to realize what his life actually is. As tears roll down his face, Biff says to his father, "Pop, I'm nothing! I'm nothing, Pop. Can't you understand that? There's no spite in it anymore. I'm just what I am, that's all." (Act 2). Biff has done something that Willy hasn't been able to his whole life which is accept what he is in life. Willy Loman is nothing but a cog in a big machine yet he tries to pass himself off as a great success. As he tries to make his sons think they are "just like their father", Biff that Willy is not the man he thinks he is.

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Beverly Weston's suicide brings all the Westons back to their childhood home. The whole family is having a big meal all together to celebrate the life of their beloved Beverly. It is visually a very wholesome scene to see everyone breaking bread and celebrating the life of a lost loved one. The Weston's are all living their lives in different parts of the country with their significant others or families so to see everyone from Violet to Jean is a special moment, regardless of the circumstances.

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While the visual of the Weston's memorial dinner is pleasant, the second that everyone starts opening their mouths, the dinner turns into a disaster. There is a very noticeable tension between everyone. Violet is obviously under the influence of pills and she has something to say about everyone and is especially hard on Barbara. You want to feel bad for Barbara but then she shows that she too dishes out jabs to her own daughter, like Violet. Barbara comments on Jeans fraudulent vegetarian lifestyle and gets the rest of the family to joke about it as well.

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The Weston's are a big family of sister's that grew up with two parents in a big home on the range. The optics of their situation would make anyone think that they had quite the normal at home life. However, the reality is that generations women in the family pick on their daughters and cause distain and psychological damage. Violet experienced this with her mother (the mens boots for Christmas), Barbara experiences it with Violet, and we can already see Barbara doing it with Jean. The Weston's may look like a big family that would be there for each other, but really it is quite the opposite.