rstood through the use of the ‘precious diadem’ as a symbol of Gertrude. Hamlet informed the responder prior going to Gertrude’s room that “[his] tongue and soul in this [will] be hypocrites”, i.e. inferring that his speech with Gertrude will not reflect the truth within him. Through this Hamlet intends to deceive the responder in order to conceal his inner self and true aims. However, when Hamlet uses the ‘precious diadem’ as a symbol for his mother and mentions that he believes that Claudius stole the ‘precious diadem’ and ‘put it in his pocket’ the responder to forced to question from where was Gertrude stolen. Hence, the responder realises that Gertrude was not stolen from old Hamlet, as he is now dead, but from Hamlet himself. The world ‘stole’ in this context means that Hamlet feels that Claudius took one of Hamlet’s possessions and deprived him of it. Hamlet’s real ‘motive’ is also seen when he says “Mother you have my father much offended”. Both Hamlet and the responder are aware that the Ghost is concerned about the ‘the foul and most unnatural murder’ Claudius committed and not entirely on his “incestuous, adulterate” behaviour. Hence Hamlet here is suggesting that his mother offended him and not his dead father who now lies under the ground. In addition towards the end of the play when Hamlet finally takes the action and kills Claudius his act was not done to avenge his father but to take revenge for his mother who was killed by Claudius’s “foul practice”. Therefore, it becomes clear,