I needed to write an essay on how Hamlet is a hypocrite and my three points were that he doesn't obey his father right away, he says he loves his mother but treats her badly, and he says he loves Ophelia but he is the cause of her madness.

But now, my topic has been changed to how Hamlet's participation in hypocrisy is destructive towards his relationships. I can still use my last two points, but I need to know how I can change the first point about his father or replace it.

You might think about replacing it with how his friendship with Laertes changed during the play. At first, they were friends (friends from childhood), but at the end they were battling each other in a deadly swordfight.

=)

But was it ever said during the course of the play that Laertes was a childhood friend of his? His childhood friends were Rosencrantz and Guildenstern...and he had them executed. But how can I attribute any of these towards him being a hypocrite?

Then stick with the ideas about his father. His father's ghost told him about the murder and demanded revenge. Was Hamlet sure that was the ghost of his father? Or maybe it was some devil that took on the form of his father? For whatever reason, Hamlet disobeyed the ghost and didn't seek revenge immediately.

Choose your own topic. Write about what you understand and what interests you.

It's important to choose a topic for your essay that you both understand and find interesting. If you are unsure about incorporating the ideas about Hamlet's relationship with his father, and instead want to focus on his participation in hypocrisy and its destructive effect on his relationships, that can be a valid choice for your essay.

In terms of the remaining points you mentioned, on how Hamlet treats his mother badly and how he is the cause of Ophelia's madness, these can still be used to support your new topic. You can analyze how Hamlet's hypocritical actions, such as expressing love for his mother while treating her poorly, or professing love for Ophelia while causing her harm, contribute to the breakdown of his relationships. You can explore how his inconsistent behavior and deceitful words lead to a loss of trust and ultimately harm his connections with those around him.

Remember to provide evidence from the play to support your analysis, such as specific quotes and scenes that illustrate Hamlet's hypocritical actions and their impact on his relationships. This will help strengthen your argument and provide a solid foundation for your essay.

Ultimately, the key is to choose a topic that you feel confident in exploring and that allows you to delve into Hamlet's participation in hypocrisy and its destructive consequences on his relationships.