Is Hamlet truly insane? Gage dictionary defines insanity as, “the state of… mentally unsoundness, mentally deranged and crazy, which he is not considered competent or held responsible for his actions,” (p.171). Experts have debated over this controversial topic before the ink had a chance to dry on this world-renowned play. As the dictionary states, the person is not thought of as competent; and in comparing Hamlet’s madness to this definition, in truth Hamlet’s “antic disposition” (1.5, 173) is a sneaky scheme in a winding plot to discover the true identity of his father’s murderer. Many find Hamlet’s madness deeply ambiguous and in truth it is; however, when readers analyze Hamlet’s thoughts, deeds, other character’s perceptions, and compare …show more content…
What people fail to remember is that Hamlet has been tasked with a very important mission, an outlet for his anger and grief by discovering and avenging his father’s murder. Hamlet vows before the ghost that he will complete the mission; however, he cannot impulsively take the ghost’s word because it goes against his entire over-analyzing, detail-oriented character. He gives an oath “to put an antic disposition on,” (1.5, 173). As he states his plan, he is completely sane and understands the ingenious of this scheme. Putting on the madness mask, as it were, makes one invisible to others; people will say anything around someone they believe is insane because they think the insane individual cannot understand. Hamlet wants juicy, dirty secrets and he has found a perfect way to get them because mad people can pull anything from someone. This madness allows him to get away with outlandish things, being in places he should not be, and overhearing private conversations dripping with …show more content…
He further gives evidence of his clear state of mind when he says, “I am but mad north-north-west: when the wind is southerly I know a hawk from a handsaw.” (2.2, 376-377) His madness depends on the “weather”. He devilishly fools most of the characters with his utter madness; they in turn do not question it. Polonius, Ophelia, Gertrude, and the rest of the kingdom are fully convinced of his insanity as they listen to his rantings that are really full of hidden puns and metaphors. Hamlet’s long-winded rambles are so deeply hooded to the characters because each character takes each his or her portrayal literally. He is fully aware of how each hooded phrase is like a dagger, in such a twisted way, that experts are left trying to untangle each of Hamlet’s quotes. His game of wits will leave readers wondering who will
Hamlet is so creative in his responses made to express his madness that Polonius's comments on there skill. "Though this be madness, yet there is method in't (2.2.223)." Hamlets smarts and acting of a madman make it to much to be a madman.
Many people have seen Hamlet as a play about uncertainty and about Hamlet's failure to act appropriately. It is very interesting to consider that the play shows many uncertainties that lives are built upon, or how many unknown quantities are taken for granted when people act or when they evaluate one another's actions. Hamlet is an especially intriguing production, both on the set and on the screen because of its uniqueness to be different from what most people expect to be in a revenge themed play. Hamlet's cynicism and insane like behavior cause him to seem indecisive, but in reality he is always judging and contemplating his actions in the back of his mind in order to seek revenge for the murder of
The novel by William Shakespeare is a very famous piece of literature. There is a lot of controversy on whether or not Hamlet is truly insane. Everything he does throughout the whole play is well thought out in great detail. In my opinion I believe Hamlet is actually not insane but rather an intelligent person that thought everything through in great detail. Some of the things he does have good and reliable reasons to be done.
His feigned madness permitted Hamlet to express these emotions freely towards Ophelia: “...Get thee to a nunnery, / farewell. Or if thou wilt needs marry, marry a / fool; for wise men know well enough what monsters / you make of them...” (3.1.138-41). It was also important for Hamlet to be so vulgar towards Ophelia because it would not have been possible for him to continue being a caring loving boyfriend while attempting to avenge his father’s death. Lastly, by pretending to be mentally disturbed, it provided Hamlet with an excuse for any sinful deeds he would commit on his pursuit of revenge. Hamlet exemplifies this conception as he seeks for Laertes forgiveness for murdering his father Polonius: “If Hamlet from himself be ta’en away, / And when he’s not himself does wrong Laertes, / Then Hamlet does it not, Hamlet denies it. / Who does it then? His madness...” (5.2.230-33). Hamlet’s pursuit of the truth and revenge was much better accompanied by madness rather than sanity which gave Hamlet a clear motive to fabricate insanity in the play. In the midst of Hamlet’s supposed madness, the prince continues to speak rationally with certain individuals as well as maintain sensible and logical thoughts. This idea is depicted through his conversations with his good friend Horatio who is assisting Hamlet in his search for the truth behind Old Hamlet’s death. For example, before the
In William Shakespeare’s tragedy, Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, we, as readers, increasingly question the sanity of the protagonist, Hamlet, as the play continues. His seemingly psychotic banter with the other characters of the play begins to convince us that Hamlet is, indeed, insane. Hamlet, however, states, “How strange or odd soe’er I bear myself, as I perchance hereafter shall think meet to put an antic disposition on” (1.5.171). He specifically tells Horatio and Marcellus that he will be acting mad, as a front. Hamlet has an exceptional grasp on mental philosophy and the uses and effects of logic, more so than the other characters of the play. Because of this, Hamlet appears insane to others, but in fact remains true to his
To start, Hamlet shows his insanity through his blinding rage. While visiting his mother in her room to discuss his outrage with her marriage, Hamlet becomes destructive. He throws his mother around the room, grabbing her and screaming at her. All this commotion scares Gertrude, his mother, and causes her to scream out “What wilt thou do? Thou wilt not murder me? / Help, Ho!”(III.iv.23-33). Gertrude is so scared of her son and who he has become that she believes that he will kill her. This shows that Hamlet is delusional because he reaches a point in which he is threatening his mother, a woman who his fathers ghost warned him about mistreating. Hamlets rage takes over his mind and does not allow him to think clearly.
Throughout the Shakespearian play, Hamlet, the main character is given the overwhelming responsibility of avenging his father’s "foul and most unnatural murder" (I.iv.36). Such a burden can slowly drive a man off the deep end psychologically. Because of this, Hamlet’s disposition is extremely inconsistent and erratic throughout the play. At times he shows signs of uncontrollable insanity. Whenever he interacts with the characters he is wild, crazy, and plays a fool. At other times, he exemplifies intelligence and method in his madness. In instances when he is alone or with Horatio, he is civilized and sane. Hamlet goes through different stages of insanity throughout the story, but his neurotic and skeptical personality amplifies his
Was Hamlet insane? Scholars have debated this question ever since Shakespeare presented this play to the public. Although I am not a scholar, I believe that there is enough evidence in the play to suggest Hamlet had been sane. He may have been depressed and angry however this was due to the treachery and betrayal contaminating Denmark. The insanity act had been an instrument to allow Hamlet the freedom to achieve his goal of revenge.
The insanity of a person can be contributed through the trauma that is caused by a few events in a person’s life, but in the play Hamlet, William Shakespeare wrote the main character prince Hamlet experiences a few dramatic events from the play which his attitude changes throughout. In order to figure out whether hamlet is insane is by figuring out what the characteristics of his insanity. Characters see Hamlet in different shades of gray, each side more or less sane than others. His sanity can be his truth or his lie.
In Hamlet, he seems to be mad, but there is a question that everyone asks when reading or watching this play “was it, or was it not true that Hamlet was faking his insanity, really suffering, or maybe even both.” First, this is what insanity is: insanity is acting crazy, but not knowing that they’re acting crazy. Also, it’s going through a lot of stress at the same time causing you to act stranger then a normal person. Hamlet was not totally insane. It doesn’t fit.
Here he explains to his companions that his behavior will all be fake, and that he is going to pretend to be mad. However, around people such as his mother, Claudius, and Polonius, he switches to prose, indicating that he is pretending to be mad, but when he does so, it is almost always humorous. One of his best one-liners is when he quips, "At supper... Not where he eats, but where he is eaten" (A4 S3 Ln20-23). In other words, sarcastic retorts are enough to mark any man or woman sane, including the young Danish
What if everything that he has explained to us was just another part of his story. What if everything was fake and he was the one who killed everyone that he loved. Hamlet may be insane, but he could still have a conscience. But that is what the audience wants. In order for the whole intensity in the story to happen, stuff that the audience expects, but doesn't get, has to be in the story.
Hamlet is really insane, no questions about it. What can one do in an insane world, but be insane? Hamlet is just trying to blend into the reality of his fated life. His uncle, King Claudius, was "sane" enough to choose the path of murder to "claim" his throne. Throughout the play, Hamlet, at times, would fake insanity to investigate what truly happened during his father's death.
William Shakespeare, a renowned poet and playwright, wrote the play Hamlet at the turn of the 16th century– which has become known and enjoyed around nearly the entire world. Ever since it was written more than four centuries ago, there has been a decently large amount of debate between Shakespearean scholars, casual readers, literary critics, and sometimes even psychologists and psychoanalysts about whether or not Hamlet ever truly went insane at any time during the play. The controversy lies within the array of seemingly strange behavior acted out by Hamlet himself – many claim no sane person could commit such acts. Hamlet 's activity may seem outlandish to some, and truly it may be, but it was acted out by a rational, sane, and conscious man. Hamlet indeed does not go insane at any point; he simply feigns madness in order to achieve revenge for his father.
Was hamlet really insane or was he just pretending? Some people believe that hamlet the one who’s really insane and that the ghostly apparitions of his father exists only in his head. They infer based on hamlet's actions that hamlet can not be mentally stable. They think that his mental instability come from the death of his father which would be partially correct, but Hamlet shows signs of in need of love and care from his mother as seen in this quote “Possess it merely. That it should come to this.But two months dead—nay, not so much, not two.So excellent a king, that was to