Hamlet: Method In His Madness

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Hamlet: Method In His Madness

In the beginning of the book, Hamlet receives orders from the Ghost. “Revenge his . . . murder. . .” He does not know whether or not this Ghost is “. . . a spirit of health or goblin damned.” so he intends to find out the truth of the matter. To get the truth, he plans to act mad, to put on an “. . . antic disposition . . .” Hamlet’s plan worries Horatio to the point that Horatio warns him that his fake madness “. . . might deprive your sovereignty of reason and draw you into madness.”

The court at Elsinore is laden with corruption. Deception – more so between family members - has become commonplace. Polonius sends Reynaldo to spy on Laertes and even admits that it is “. . . my drift, and I believe it is fetch of warrant.” Claudius murdered his brother and then married his widow and is branded an “. . . incestuous . . . adulterate beast. . .” The amount of deception displayed within the court – even by the king – causes deception to become a norm. Consequently, truth is likened to madness. …show more content…
He expresses his true thoughts behind his mask of madness. Had he made statements such as: “You are a fishmonger.” – to Polonius - and “Get thee to a nunnery. . .” – to Ophelia - under the banner of sanity, there would have been consequences. “… madness … which reason and sanity could not so prosperously be delivered of.” His intention concerning the conversation with his mother displays his lack of madness. “… my very soul… there I see such black and grained spots…” He sees through Rosencrantz and Guildenstern’s plans to deceive him into telling them the truth “You would play me…” Evidently, Hamlet’s madness is not within his mind but rather in his

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