The art of deception: Hamlet’s insanity
The art of deception is a theme that is ever-present within William Shakespeare's tragedy, Hamlet. Hamlet develops a persona that is perceived to be suffering from insanity, to deceive Claudius and the kingdom, confirm the ghost’s words, and discern the loyalty of those around him. Thus, the recurring antic disposition is merely an act that Hamlet carries out in order to deceive those around him. Firstly, when one is under constant scrutiny from the public, as is Hamlet, it should be exceedingly difficult, under ordinary circumstances, to discreetly plot and perform a task as outrageous as regicide without arousing suspicion. Therefore, Hamlet feigns insanity in order to circumvent the repercussions that would normally be associated with suspicious behaviour. After Hamlet declares that …show more content…
Hamlet, not having a murderous disposition, requires concrete, tangible evidence and motivation before he can exact his father’s revenge on Claudius. Thus, Hamlet uses his act of insanity to manipulate Claudius into confirming his guilt, giving Hamlet a reason to take action. Over the course of the play, the reader learns that Hamlet’s ambition is superseded by his need to analyse every aspect of a situation. This idea is perpetuated when Hamlet is presented with an opportune chance to murder the King, to which he says, “That would be scann’d”(3, iii, 75); showing the reader that Hamlet’s mental state is stable, as he harbours reservations of killing another, and that he requires more evidence to definitively convict Claudius, or to warrant revenge. In order to confirm the fact that Claudius murdered his father, Hamlet orchestrates a play, which is a recreation of the events leading to his father’s death: The Murder of Gonzago. Hamlet then decides that this moment will determine his uncle’s guilt, or that the ghost was a mere denizen of
The art of deception is a theme that is ever-present within William Shakespeare's tragedy, Hamlet. Hamlet develops a persona that is perceived to be suffering from insanity, to deceive Claudius and the kingdom, confirm the ghost’s words, and discern the loyalty of those around him. Thus, the recurring antic disposition is merely an act that Hamlet carries out in order to deceive those around him. Firstly, when one is under constant scrutiny from the public, as is Hamlet, it should be exceedingly difficult, under ordinary circumstances, to discreetly plot and perform a task as outrageous as regicide without arousing suspicion. Therefore, Hamlet feigns insanity in order to circumvent the repercussions that would normally be associated with suspicious behaviour. After Hamlet declares that …show more content…
Hamlet, not having a murderous disposition, requires concrete, tangible evidence and motivation before he can exact his father’s revenge on Claudius. Thus, Hamlet uses his act of insanity to manipulate Claudius into confirming his guilt, giving Hamlet a reason to take action. Over the course of the play, the reader learns that Hamlet’s ambition is superseded by his need to analyse every aspect of a situation. This idea is perpetuated when Hamlet is presented with an opportune chance to murder the King, to which he says, “That would be scann’d”(3, iii, 75); showing the reader that Hamlet’s mental state is stable, as he harbours reservations of killing another, and that he requires more evidence to definitively convict Claudius, or to warrant revenge. In order to confirm the fact that Claudius murdered his father, Hamlet orchestrates a play, which is a recreation of the events leading to his father’s death: The Murder of Gonzago. Hamlet then decides that this moment will determine his uncle’s guilt, or that the ghost was a mere denizen of