Madness And Insanity In William Shakespeare's Hamlet

Improved Essays
In Hamlet, Shakespeare shows that insane revenge is never the answer. An insane pursuit for revenge will only cause more pain and suffering. Suffering in which any number of variables could have prevented including control over Hamlet 's mood swings. This can is shown when his decisions caused the death of Laertes, Ophelia, Claudius, Gertrude, Polonius, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. I believe that Hamlet was insane, and at times his desperation to avenge his father made it worse for not only him but also the other characters. Each character brought out Hamlet’s same side and insane side. Today Hamlet would have bipolar disorder, a condition affecting 2.6% of the population. The dictionary definition of insanity is “A state of mind that prevents …show more content…
After all, the word 'madness ' is specifically used 18 times in the play, and the majority of the quotes revolves around one of the central questions in Hamlet: Is Hamlet mad?” Wrote Karen Harker University of North Texas. Hamlet uses his insanity to his advantage several times throughout the play, Hamlet reserves his insanity to his main target Claudius and his allies. Ophelia was a target in Hamlet’s rage, he used words like: "are you honest" (III.i.104), "are you fair" (III.i.106). Due to his mother’s obstruction in Hamlet’s vocation to kill Claudius, Hamlet "speak daggers" (III.ii.387) to Gertrude. Hamlet seriously altered Gertrude’s and especially Ophelia’s state of mind with his words of insanity which lead to the death of Polonius and the Death of the woman Hamlet loved Ophelia. In addition to Gertrude and Ophelia, Hamlet turned his back on his two friends that he had known his whole life and had them killed. All that Rosencrantz and Guildenstern were supposed to find out what "unknown afflicts [Hamlet] thus" (II.ii.17). But Hamlet’s insanity and Claudius’ greed and skepticism led to the death of these two innocents who were only serving their king and queen. Just like Ophelia only wanted to serve her father and Polonius only wanted to serve his king for his own …show more content…
However, the castle guards along with Horatio see the ghost, but that may have just been a minor coincidence because they could not speak to the ghost. But Hamlet had a full conversation with him. K. Deighton wrote in his article [The Question of Hamlet 's Sanity] “Dr. Ray goes on to note Hamlet 's "bad dreams" as one of the symptoms of impending insanity” which can support a theory of seeing the ghost was a dream of Hamlet’s that he turned to reality. However that theory does not explain how Horatio knew so much about the Ghost unless, Hamlet explained it to him so well he as well perceived it as a reality. “The spirit that I have seen/ may be the devil, and the devil hath power/ t ' assume a pleasing shape; yea, and perhaps, out of my weakness and my melancholy,/ as he is very potent with such spirits,/ abuses me to damn me.” (II.ii.627-632) Hamlet was arguing with himself to decide if the ghost was actually the ghost of his father of the devil here to tempt him. Which led me to the conclusion that Hamlet was insane and a danger to all of his family and

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    Is Hamlet Riding The Crazy Train? Hamlet went through a very dramatic transition in his life, his Dad was killed by his uncle, then his uncle married Hamlet's mom. Though it is very possible Hamlet is suffering some kind of mental disorder, I believe that it was all an act and he is perfectly sane. Hamlet tells Horatio that he is going to ‘feign madness’ and if Horatio notices any strange behavior from Hamlet, it is because he is putting on an act.[Act i, Scene v, lines 166-180].…

    • 542 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In the play many of the character noted that Hamlet is not mad or crazy. For instance Claudius pointed out that Hamlet was crazy. “There is something in his soul, / O’er which his melancholy sits on brood, / And I do doubt that hatch and the disclose / will be some danger” (Act III, scene 1). The King does not think that Hamlet is insane.…

    • 339 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Decent Essays

    The question still remains throughout the play of Shakespeare, was Hamlet pretending to be insane or not? It is difficult to identify what is hidden in the mind or whether it was true or not. Hamlet's first confusion began when his mother got married after his father passed away in a short time, and next time when he begins to follow the Ghost. The mysterious ghost appears to Prince Hamlet in the shape of his father, King Hamlet. Everything from his father’s death to Ophelia’s rejection has brought Hamlet to face his own…

    • 94 Words
    • 1 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In literature, the mental afflictions of certain characters play a definitive role in the work. Hamlet, from William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, portrays himself as a madman. However eccentric his actions are, they have a strong purpose in his plan for revenge. In addition, Hamlet’s behaviour is significant to the work as a whole, supporting the theme of manipulation. Overall, Hamlet’s bizarre behaviour has an important role in both advancing the plot and developing themes.…

    • 655 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Insanity is expressed throughout the play in many characters. However, Hamlet and Ophelia exhibit madness more extremely than the others. In addition, Hamlet’s “madness” is all an act so he can kill his father’s murder and not get punished for it. On the other hand, Ophelia has actually lost her mind.…

    • 512 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Shakespeare uses prince Hamlet as a demonstration of insanity as he goes mad after speaking to the ghost of his father. The remainder of the play supports and…

    • 1008 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Because of these events Hamlet has extreme mood swings, one minute he is in a major rage and is yelling at Ophelia or his mother, and the next he is very depressed and is contemplating suicide. Hamlet’s insanity is his fatal flaw, because it makes him a different person who makes irrational decisions and has extreme mood…

    • 1779 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Indeed, that is what defines an act of insanity: one that is aimed at no good. But what effect does Hamlet’s insanity serve within the text? Firstly, it reveals that Hamlet cannot be trusted. If he is lying to himself, then how can an audience depend on the truth?…

    • 738 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Hamlet Violence Analysis

    • 1936 Words
    • 8 Pages

    Hamlet is upfront with the reader about all that is troubling him, and in the midst of his suicidal contemplations, his contemplation of life and death, he grants the reader an insight into the aspects of his life that have caused him to feel this way: “For who would bear the whips and scorns of time, / The oppressor’s wrong, the proud man’s contumely, / The pangs of disprized love, the law’s delay, / The insolence of office and the spurns / That patient merit of the unworthy takes…” (3.1.76-80). He has offered an explanation of his madness, and whether his madness is an act or not, it arguably does not matter, as he is able to find the same liberation and truth in his madness that Ophelia is able to find in hers. Hamlet lashes out emotionally and physically throughout the play, and this may all be attributed to his mental state, and whether or not one chooses to believe his mind was truly poisoned with madness.…

    • 1936 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Superior Essays

    The Importance Of Heroism In Hamlet

    • 1151 Words
    • 5 Pages
    • 1 Works Cited

    He frightens Ophelia, speaks in riddles to Polonius, and walks around the castle with no apparent purpose. His mother gets so worried that she sends for his friends to come. She hoped they could figure out what was wrong with him. Hamlet is putting on a good show to distract everyone from the real problem. Upon meeting his friends Hamlet makes them admit the true reason they have come to Denmark.…

    • 1151 Words
    • 5 Pages
    • 1 Works Cited
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    While Hamlet could be considered emotionally unstable, he cannot be considered insane. His constant analysis of the people and events taking place around him, along with comparisons to other events and a deep understanding of what is holding him back from making action all demonstrate that he is “showing reason”, has “sound judgement” and can make “good sense” of what he witnesses. While his inability to make action in the first part of the play ends up hurting him in the end, his lack of capability was not caused by a weak grasp of reality. Hamlet is completely sane and acts as anyone would if they were in the same dreadful…

    • 1453 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Hamlet Madness And Madness

    • 1819 Words
    • 7 Pages

    This discovery brings a lot of emotions to Hamlet and he vows to avenge his father’s death. The way Hamlet goes about his vengeance has made many critics question his sanity. Is his madness simply a deception or does truly become insane? Many scenes from the play show that Hamlet’s attitude was justified…

    • 1819 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Hamlet Problem In Hamlet

    • 1054 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Many scholars research Shakespeare’s plays to learn about him, his lifestyle, and the customs of that era. Hamlet, written by William Shakespeare in about 1599, is read and studied by nearly every student. Even though countless scholars have researched it, the play ultimately leaves them puzzled. Each person that has studied Hamlet has come up with a unique opinion and conclusion of the play. Although Graham Bradshaw and William Empson both have different views on the way Hamlet was written and the famous “Hamlet Problem”, William Empson has a more valid argument on the new play.…

    • 1054 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    Hamlet Madness Analysis

    • 1805 Words
    • 8 Pages
    • 1 Works Cited

    Polonius claims that Hamlet is mad in love with Ophelia. “… that I have found The very cause of Hamlet’s lunacy” (II,ii,51-52). Polonius shows the king and queen letters written by Hamlet to Ophelia. The letters talk about Hamlet’s love for Ophelia. The king agrees with Polonius to hide behind an arras, while Ophelia confronts Hamlet.…

    • 1805 Words
    • 8 Pages
    • 1 Works Cited
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Hamlet's Madness

    • 981 Words
    • 4 Pages

    In the play, Shakespeare shows the difference between only acting mad and truly being mad. Ophelia, Hamlet’s potential wife and Polonius’s daughter, is a character that is truthfully mad. The difference between Hamlet’s act of madness and Ophelia’s real madness is, Hamlet acts senseless simply on purpose. Hamlet decides when he should talk or act crazy in order to help solve his father’s murder. Hamlet knows he can get away with asking people strange things while pretending to be mad.…

    • 981 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays

Related Topics