Madness

Madness resides within each and every individual, it rests within the boundaries of one's morality waiting to be unleashed by traumatic events. When the human mind is consumed by madness the afflicted individual tarnishes their original morality and begins to embody the essence of the irreconcilable product of their sanity: otherwise known as insanity. As a result, those afflicted will begin to indulge in many acts that their former selves would consider to be taboo. The dormant thoughts that…

play raises, lies the subject of whether or not Hamlet, the protagonist of the play is actually insane. The question of Hamlet's sanity has divided the readers of Shakespeare into two opposing sides; one defending his madness as feigned, and the other as unfeigned madness. Is his madness feigned or real? It is certainly understandable for someone who has just lost their father, and gained a stepfather to suddenly go mad. However, using extensive evidence from the play and scholarly criticism, it…

possessed a thirst for the knowledge of the unknown, but the consequences of this knowledge never crosses the minds of those who seek it. Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, or The Modern Prometheus, shows this foolishness in perfect light, portraying the madness of Victor Frankenstein in his thirst for the creation of life. In his success, he becomes revolted by his Creature, leaving him on his own at the beginning of his new life and leading him to murderous tendencies towards the friends and family…

Hamlet’s presentation of madness is a way to take suspicion from himself to investigate Claudius. Hamlet’s madness is performed for the sake of the other characters. His “madness” is not necessarily a psychological problem. It is more indicative of the social attitudes of the play. Fortinbras seeks to avenge the death of his father, as does Hamlet. Hamlet and Fortinbras, and later Laertes, are in the same situation. Fortinbras must reclaim the lands his father lost to Old Hamlet. He does so for…

to usurp the throne, young Hamlet assumes a state of insanity in order to justify avenging his father’s death. Hamlet’s madness can be characterized through five main causes: grief from his father’s death, anger over his mother’s new husband, his uncle’s fratricide, Ophelia’s rejection, and his friends betrayal Andreasen). Throughout the tragedy, it is evident that his madness is a masquerade. Hamlet talks with Horatio, telling him before the…

One’s sanity is not something you can control. Without sanity comes madness, but it is within our minds and grows over time if not released or helped. For Hamlet, he chooses to give the appearance as if he is mad I order to find the truth about his father’s death. At the beginning of his plan, everything is going good but as time goes by Hamlet is slowly losing control of his madness, and his mind begins to spin out of control. Something that started as an act of insanity or antic disposition…

masterpiece King Lear, a tragedy concerning the aftermath of the abdication of King Lear. The plot carries a character development; a descend into madness as a result of an act of folly. This paper further examines the origin of Lear’s madness, how the madness is externalised and finally puts the play and theme into historical context. The cause of Lear’s madness can be pinpointed to several places, depending on your reading. However, most Shakespearean scholars seem to agree that the very first…

“Hamlet’s madness, whether genuine or not, adds to the fascination of his character for the audience.” Discuss this statement, supporting your answer with suitable reference to the play, Hamlet. The more I explore Shakespeare’s work, the more I am convinced that he had more wisdom in 1616 than we have managed to accumulate since. The lesson I derive from Shakespeare’s exploration of madness in Hamlet is that sometimes one just has to fight fire with fire. It is how Hamlet’s (probably)…

Madness has been affecting humankind for centuries. From Adolf Hitler to Jack the Ripper, humans have been, and continue, to be plagued by madness. Inhumane, infamous people have committed repulsive and maleficent acts ranging from ordering the death of millions to committing acts of lunacy. Many killers have likewise been diagnosed with philological issues. Mental illness can transform any human's actions into irrational and crazy ones. Hamlet's sanity is a highly debated topic in…

birth who has inner conflicts, and a strong background which leads us to see the qualities of a tragic hero. For example, madness can be described as an internal and tragic characteristic of Macbeth. This plays a significant factor in the decline and downfall of Macbeth because of his fate and his own mistakes. The three factors which draw out Macbeth's internal flaw of madness are his fate which was foretold by the witches, how Lady Macbeth manipulates Macbeth and Macbeth's own ambition. To…