Prince Hamlet’s Mentality: Is he truly mad or not?
In Shakespeare’s tragedy Hamlet, there are constant changes in thoughts, intentions, state of mind, and most of all, emotion. New things coming out of the darkness into the light for others to see. Hamlet realizing that Claudius was the murderer of his father and stole his father’s seat on the throne of Denmark, taking his wife and all of his treasures. Through Hamlet’s encounter with the ghost of his late father, a sense of revenge was instilled in him, following the old saying, “An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a life for a life”. Where do these thoughts come from? What causes such primitive and inconsiderate thinking in the minds of those seeking vengeance for a harm done to them …show more content…
This was another moment of seeking revenge in this tragedy. Another moment that could prove his madness would be his encounter with the ghost in the bedroom of his mother. “On him, on him. Look you how pale he glares. His form and cause conjoin’d, preaching to stones, Would make theme capable” (Act III, Scene iv, lines 125-127). His mother could not see the ghost, but Hamlet did. This is very odd because in his previous encounter with the ghost while he was with Horatio and Marcellus, not only was he able to see the ghost, but they were able to see it as well. It is as if he is living in a separate conscience in which the ghost rules his thoughts causing him to act in ways he never would have before. Hamlet was the only one among those who could see the ghost who was able to speak with it. It is like he enters a whole new world in which he has no consideration for …show more content…
He would be angry in certain moments, depressed in others, and completely calm and normal in some. It seemed as if he did not have control over whatever he did. An example would be when he killed Polonius who was hiding behind the arras in his mother’s bedroom. Upon hearing a noise coming from the arras, Hamlet stabbed Polonius with his rapier, killing him. After Polonius’ death, Hamlet did not tell anyone where the body was kept. Rosencrantz asked Hamlet, “What have you done, my lord, with the dead body?” (Act IV, Scene II, line 4). Hamlet answered, “Compounded it with dust, whereto ’tis kin” (Act IV, Scene II, line 5). This is proof of how Hamlet’s refusal to give the body connects to his madness. Despite giving Polonius’ family the right to mourn their beloved father, he hid the body. When his father died, he had the opportunity to mourn him freely. It demonstrates his lack of consideration and respect. Hamlet’s personality was not as cruel and heartless as it is when he was refusing to give the location of the body. It proves how his insanity has taken control of him and no matter what he does, he has no feeling of guilt or remorse for anything wrong he has
In Shakespeare’s tragedy Hamlet, there are constant changes in thoughts, intentions, state of mind, and most of all, emotion. New things coming out of the darkness into the light for others to see. Hamlet realizing that Claudius was the murderer of his father and stole his father’s seat on the throne of Denmark, taking his wife and all of his treasures. Through Hamlet’s encounter with the ghost of his late father, a sense of revenge was instilled in him, following the old saying, “An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a life for a life”. Where do these thoughts come from? What causes such primitive and inconsiderate thinking in the minds of those seeking vengeance for a harm done to them …show more content…
This was another moment of seeking revenge in this tragedy. Another moment that could prove his madness would be his encounter with the ghost in the bedroom of his mother. “On him, on him. Look you how pale he glares. His form and cause conjoin’d, preaching to stones, Would make theme capable” (Act III, Scene iv, lines 125-127). His mother could not see the ghost, but Hamlet did. This is very odd because in his previous encounter with the ghost while he was with Horatio and Marcellus, not only was he able to see the ghost, but they were able to see it as well. It is as if he is living in a separate conscience in which the ghost rules his thoughts causing him to act in ways he never would have before. Hamlet was the only one among those who could see the ghost who was able to speak with it. It is like he enters a whole new world in which he has no consideration for …show more content…
He would be angry in certain moments, depressed in others, and completely calm and normal in some. It seemed as if he did not have control over whatever he did. An example would be when he killed Polonius who was hiding behind the arras in his mother’s bedroom. Upon hearing a noise coming from the arras, Hamlet stabbed Polonius with his rapier, killing him. After Polonius’ death, Hamlet did not tell anyone where the body was kept. Rosencrantz asked Hamlet, “What have you done, my lord, with the dead body?” (Act IV, Scene II, line 4). Hamlet answered, “Compounded it with dust, whereto ’tis kin” (Act IV, Scene II, line 5). This is proof of how Hamlet’s refusal to give the body connects to his madness. Despite giving Polonius’ family the right to mourn their beloved father, he hid the body. When his father died, he had the opportunity to mourn him freely. It demonstrates his lack of consideration and respect. Hamlet’s personality was not as cruel and heartless as it is when he was refusing to give the location of the body. It proves how his insanity has taken control of him and no matter what he does, he has no feeling of guilt or remorse for anything wrong he has