Mental Illness In Hamlet

Carl Jung once stated that “knowing your own darkness is the best method for dealing with the darknesses of other people” (Carl). In Hamlet written by William Shakespeare, Hamlet exhibits a series of mental issues due to the death of his father and a new blossoming romance in his mother’s life. Speculation from many of his friends and family is circulating on what is making him “mad” although nobody is sure of the real reason. The major issue in Hamlet’s life causing him to act in a deranged fashion is the death of his father, King Hamlet. The behaviors he exhibits are linked with the same behaviors as those suffering from schizophrenia. In the early seventeenth century those close to him might have just believed that he was saddened and in …show more content…
From that point on everything in his life seems to spiral downward. His hallucinations,which is the number one sign of acute schizophrenia, begin, along with his strange and uncommon emotions (Simon). Hamlet “sees” the ghost of his father and learns what he believes to be the truth about Claudius. Hamlet starts to act on edge and becomes suspicious of everything, such as Claudius’ true intentions with his mother. Hamlet no longer cares what it takes, he wants revenge for his father and his willing to bring along as much madness as it …show more content…
Aside from the idea of him marrying Gertrude he also was the murder of King Hamlet. Hamlet is aware of this, but Claudius is not aware what Hamlet truly knows. Claudius also knows that Hamlet has been behaving in a strange manner and people will believe that Hamlet is lying (if he were to tell others that Claudius killed King Hamlet). Hamlet begins to plot against Claudius, seeking revenge for his father. Hamlet’s plans begin to become move rash as he progresses without yet killing Claudius. Initially Hamlet was going to kill Claudius when he sees him in confession (praying). Shakespeare displays Hamlet going through an internal crisis by