Hamlets Madness Essay - 1648 Words

Hamlets Madness Is Hamlet Mad? Not Likely. Madness is a condition of the mind which eliminates all rational thought leaving an individual with no proper conception of what is happening around him/her. Madness typically occurs in the minds of individuals that have experienced an event or series of events that their mind simply cannot cope with and, thus, to avoid their harsh reality, they fall into a state of madness. In William Shakespeare’s masterpiece Hamlet, there is much debate around the protagonist, Hamlet, and whether or not his madness in the play was real or feigned. It was a disastrous time in the prince, Hamlet’s life as his father had just passed away, his uncle then took the kingship and wed Hamlet’s mother, then the†¦show more content†¦His feigned madness permitted Hamlet to express these emotions freely towards Ophelia: â€Å"...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: â€Å"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 indiv iduals 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 theShow MoreRelatedHamlet’s Madness1895 Words   |  8 Pages The tragedy of Hamlet by William Shakespeare is about Hamlet going insane and reveals his madness through his actions and dialogue. Hamlet remains one of the most discussed literary characters of all time. This is most likely due to the complex nature of Hamlet as a character. In one scene, Hamlet appears happy, and then he is angry in another and melancholy in the next. Hamlet’s madness is a result of his father’s death which was supposedly by the hands of his uncle, Claudius. He has also discoveredRead MoreHamlets Madness Essay1147 Words   |  5 Pagesplay Hamlet parallels this quote as it portrays his character caught in a mental battle as a result of his mad ness. When left alone to his thoughts, Hamlet contemplates decisions to the point of obsession, leading him into isolation. He can no longer distinguish fantasy from reality in turn motivating his impulsive behavior and stripping him of his integrity. Shakespeare has Hamlet feign madness however, as a result of his father’s murder, the obsession to plot revenge on Claudius, and the neglectedRead MoreHamlet’s Madness in Craft Essay868 Words   |  4 PagesIn Act I, Scene V, after hearing the ghost’s demand for revenge, Hamlet says in advance that he will consciously feign madness while seeking the opportune moment to kill Claudius. Therefore, it is hard to conclude that he coincidentally became insane after making such a vow. Hamlet’s supposed madness not only becomes his way of relating to the other characters during the majority of the play, but also that which develops his character as throughout the play. Still, the question remains: Is HamletRead Mor e Hamlet’s Madness in Craft Essay887 Words   |  4 PagesIn Act I, Scene V, after hearing the ghost’s demand for revenge, Hamlet says in advance that he will consciously feign madness while seeking the opportune moment to kill Claudius. Therefore, it is hard to conclude that he coincidentally became insane after making such a vow. Hamlet’s supposed madness becomes his primary way of interacting with the other characters during most of the play, in addition to being a major device that Shakespeare uses to develop his character. 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Hamlet certainly displays a high degree of mania and instability throughout much of the play, but his madness is perhaps too purposeful and pointed for us to conclude that he actually loses his mind. His language is erratic and wild, but beneath his mad-sounding words oftenRead MoreHamlet Madness In Hamlet1293 Words   |  6 Pagesfirst thing that most teachers or professors point out is the argument/idea of sanity, specifically Hamlets sanity. I believe that Hamlet is, in fact, feigning his madness. What I do not know is if I believe this because it is what I was taught or if I came up with the idea myself based on my own interpretation. When I was taught Hamlet there was no argument it was just fact that he was faking his madness. Because of my confusion, I came to find that it may be interesting take out of the play any momentRead More Ophelia in William Shakespeares Hamlet Essay2759 Words   |  12 PagesOphelia in William Shakespeares Hamlet â€Å"Follow her close, give her good watch, I pray you† (IV.5.73). Ostensibly, Shakespeare’s Hamlet is the riddling, enigmatic, inscrutable theatrical character par excellence. His motives, madness, conflicting morals and existential struggles are ambiguous to say the least. When analysing his character, Laertes and Fortinbras are often brought in as examples of less extreme characters dealing with similar but more tangible dilemmas. The idea thatRead MoreDear Friend Hamlet Essay947 Words   |  4 Pageshave been witness to your misery, triumph, and madness. I’m unable to tell if it was all an antic disposition? Or if were you really as insane as ‘the sea and the wind,’ both contending to be mightier in the storm? (4.1.7-8). I’ve come to the realisation that not everything that meets the eye is as it appears. A series of lies and manipulation have unravelled before my very eyes, ending in blood shed. Blood that is on my hands as much as it is on Hamlet’s. As his closest confidant, our bond was knittedRead MoreEssay on Hamlets Antic Disposition1487 Words   |  6 PagesHamlets Antic Disposition      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In William Shakespeares famous tragedy Hamlet, the main character of the story is one majestically elaborated, aside from being quite complex. There are infinite volumes written about this character because Shakespeare leaves no firm proof of many of his character traits. Yet on Hamlets antic disposition, meaning his obviously absurd temperament or madness, Shakespeare leaves plenty of reason to believe that it is feigned, meaning that it is simply a ploy