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Hamlet uses the act of madness to draw attention away from his suspicious activities as he tries to gather evidence against Claudius. He reveals to Horatio his deceitful plan to feign insanity in Act 1, Scene 5:
Here, as before, never, so help you mercy, How strange or odd soe'er I bear myself, As I, perchance, hereafter shall think meet To put an antic disposition on, That you, at such times seeing me, never shall, With arms encumber'd thus, or this head-shake, Or by pronouncing of some doubtful phrase, As 'Well, well, we know'; or 'We could, an if we would'; Or 'If we list to speak'; or 'There be, an if they might'; Or such ambiguous giving out, to note That you know aught of me: this is not to do, So grace and mercy at your most need help you.
(Act 1 Scene 5, Lines 187-199)
Hamlet’s staging of the play (The Murder of Gonzago) is in attempt to catch Claudius in his guilt. Hamlet again informs Horatio of his plan.
Give him a heedful note For I mine eyes will rivet to his face, And after we will both our judgments join In censure of his seeming.
(Act 3, Scene 2, Lines 86-89)
When Hamlet discovers Rosencrantz and Guildenstern carrying his death warrant on the ship bound for England he changes his name to the names of his unwitting companions, thereby sending them to be executed in his place. This unusually ruthless act of deception shocks and disappoints Horatio:
Hamlet: I had my father's signet in my purse, Which was the model of that Danish seal: Folded the writ up in the form of the other, Subscrib'd it, gave't the impression, plac'd it safely, The changeling never known. Now, the next day Was our sea-flight; and what to this was sequent Thou know'st already. Horatio: So Guildenstern and Rosencrantz go to't
(Act 5, Scene 2, Line 47-55)
*…*
Horatio: Why, what a king is this?
(Act 5, Scene 2, Line 62)