Insanity In Hamlet Essay

Hamlet really wanted the revenge on Claudius but was really on the fence of what to actually do to follow through with then plan. Claudius was brave to feel so free, as Hamlet had opportunities to take advantage of him and had plenty of hate towards him for more than one reason. The action Hamlet may want and outcome of it, may be completely different as to what his father would do or like him to do.

In Shakespeare’s play, Hamlet, Hamlet, a studious young man and Prince of Denmark, struggles to face the death of his father and the task to kill his father’s murderer, Claudius. He was once known as a charming, smart young man before his father’s death. However, Hamlet experiences depression and anger at the world, causing him to look outwardly on society but failing to look inwardly on himself. The death of his father and the task for vengeance leads him to question whether or not he should follow through in killing Claudius. He becomes a man of thought rather than a man of action. In addition, the delay of King Claudius’ murder leads the readers to believe that he wishes not to kill him; he

This, in turn, exploits Hamlet’s similar flaw of ego and furthers the conflict, but what’s more, it illustrates Claudius’ sheer audacity and lack of repentance. He continues to try to cover up the sin and appease Hamlet into complacency rather than confess and ask for forgiveness. In a mark of pure arrogance, Claudius tells Hamlet to “throw to earth / This unprevailing woe and think of us / As of a father”, conceitedly requesting that Hamlet merely forget the murder and replace his father with the murderer himself (I, ii, 110-112). Similarly, instead of directly confronting Hamlet about his mental condition, the king more or less hires Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to spy on the prince, again cementing his smug mindset. The king does not believe he can be caught or, rather, that Hamlet is competent enough to figure out his plan and foil him. Claudius, too, thinks only of himself after Hamlet’s inadvertent killing of Polonius, pondering “how shall this bloody deed be answered? / It will be laid to us” instead of considering the ramifications of the murder with respect to Hamlet (4.1.17-18). The other two paper-thin traps the king hatches only reinforce his failure to see beyond the apparent; his attempt to deport Hamlet to England and have him killed reeks of treachery and, luckily, Hamlet realizes the king’s subterfuge, crushing the plot and flipping it back on him. Claudius remains steadfast in his efforts to remove Hamlet, going so far as to set up a

Hamlet’s absurd actions began when he got a visit from his father’s ghost. As he was conversing matters with the ghost, he acknowledged that he may need to disguise himself with strange behavior (antic disposition) in order to not give himself away. He wanted to ensure that he wouldn’t make it conspicuous that he was planning to kill Claudius in order to achieve his own equanimity. Hamlet mentioned to Horatio, Marcellus, and the Ghost, “How strange or odd some’er I bear myself (As I perchance hereafter shall think meet to put an antic disposition on)... ” (Pg. Act I Scene V Lines 175-177). He needed to surreptitiously act in a strange manner in order to convey the idea to the culpable King that he didn’t have a plan, although he did. Hamlet would not have given them the caveat that he would act mad if he actually was crazy. One who is mad will most likely not admit it, but Hamlet certainly admitted that he would be acting this way to communicate a certain impression. At the climax of the play, the queen claimed that Hamlet was mad when he interacted with his father’s ghost after he murdered Polonius. She vehemently claimed, “Alas, he’s mad” (Pg. 177 Act III Scene IV Line 109). She declared

In Shakespeare's Hamlet, there are two characters that display qualities of insanity.  They are Hamlet and Ophelia.  Although they both appear to be mad at times, their downfall (or supposed downfall) is quite different.  Ophelia's crazed characteristics show up and intensify quite rapidly, until she is ultimately led to suicide.  Her madness seems definite, and it is never questioned.  The insanity or sanity of the main character is an arguable question.  The issue can be discussed both ways, with significant support to either theory. Certainly, Hamlet has many reasons to lead him to becoming insane, because of the pressure and emotional strain that he is suffering from.  This might be enough to cause the character to become

“There are two ways to be fooled. One is to believe what isn't true; the other is to refuse to believe what is true.” When one takes on a role which is not their own, they place themselves in a possibility of potential harm. In the Tragedy of Hamlet by William Shakespeare, Hamlet’s antic disposition acts as a fatal error which leads to his eventual demise. Hamlet displays antic disposition when attempting to fool Claudius, denying his love for Ophelia and preceding with his plan to act insane. Hamlet tries to fool Claudius despite Claudius being a character who is not being fooled easily. He also denies his love for Ophelia, which causes her insanity and eventual suicide. Finally, Hamlet himself gets confused

Hamlet exhibits this inconsistency towards his only perceived love interest, Ophelia, and in doing so he not only drives her way, but also drives her insane. Hamlet's encounters with Ophelia throughout the play effectively illustrate his constant shifts and inconsistencies. In Act 3, Scene 1, Hamlet puts on an act and claims to Ophelia that he once loved her, but in the very next instance he claims that he never loved her. Although Hamlet exhibits a misogynistic outburst, it can be genuinely perceived that Hamlet is emotionally and mentally distressed, and therefore not sane. His act is filled with such passion and emotional intensity that one questions whether the feigned madness is truly artificial.

Hamlet’s display of madness allows him to prove to himself and the people of Denmark that Claudius did indeed murder the King. By acting and speaking in ways that would be considered unacceptable under normal circumstances, such as orchestrating the play, he is able to expose the truth. Hamlet also puts on a show of antic disposition towards Polonius by mocking him during a discussion asking “Have you a daughter” while normally he would show a great deal of respect towards him (IV.II.182). This leads Polonius to the belief that Hamlet is not mad, but madly in love with his daughter Ophelia, which he then shares with the king and queen. By convincing Polonius that he is indeed mentally unstable, Hamlet hopes that he will tell the royal court of his insanity.

It is or is it not true that Hamlet was faking his insanity? I’m not saying Hamlet was faking the whole thing. The meaning for insanity on Dictionary.com is “a permanent disorder of the mind.” I don't think Hamlet had a permanent disorder of the mind he knew what he was doing and even planned the majority of the events that happened. Most of the time anyway.

Hamlet’s insanity has always been a controversial topic within literary analysis. Many individuals believe Hamlet has always been insane, while others believe that his insanity was an act he played the whole time. Ultimately however, throughout the play, Hamlet becomes legitimately insane due to the events that occur, the primary factor being the death of King Hamlet, his father. Seeing the ghost of King Hamlet is the beginning of his descent into insanity. Soon afterwards his mother marries Claudius, Hamlet’s uncle. Finally, Hamlet becomes so obsessed with Claudius that he creates a play re-enacting the events of his father’s death to try to persuade Claudius to confess to murdering King Hamlet.

Mad persons often get looked over by society and become immune to any consequences of their actions due to their mental health. Such is the case in The Tragedy of Hamlet by William Shakespeare in which the character of Prince Hamlet is able to avoid suspicion while trying to obtain revenge on his father’s murderer by pretending to be insane. This insanity is justified as alright because of the recent, traumatic experiences that Hamlet has had to manage such as his father’s death, his mother’s hasty wedding with her brother-in-law, and his ending relationship with Ophelia.

Throughout William Shakespeare's play The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark and Herman Koch's novel The Dinner the conception of insanity is explored through techniques of character, setting, time, and structure; the central theme of insanity is expressed through the physical form of prominent protagonists. The way in which supporting characters interact with the protagonists varies with the different environments they advance from. Both Shakespeare and Koch show the manifestation of insanity through the setting the protagonists are placed in. To further reinforce the theme by creating contrasts from the protagonists, Shakespeare uses supporting characters whereas Koch presents antagonists. A central technique used in both texts is the manipulation

Hamlet is a tragic plat about betrayal, madness, and revenge. Many of the characters go through the play with development. Certain characters such as Hamlet, Ophelia, and Claudius have certain traits that make them stand out from the rest of the characters in the play.

Insanity, the idea that one’s mental health is weak and questionable. This concept of a low level of mental stability seems to have a concrete definition, which means it should be easy to discern. And yet, the criteria needed to be of sound mind is less tangible. Dr. Frederic S Lee writes, “The actual degree of insanity from which any one of us suffers is a matter of difficult of determination, since it can be made known only through the verdict of one’s peer, who themselves in turn are demented” (823). Lee’s explanation on the degrees of insanity is illustrated in William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, where the mental health of the title character is under constant scrutiny. The uncertainty surrounding Hamlet’s mental wellbeing has fascinated psychiatrists for about two hundred years. His behavior has caused him to be diagnosed with a range of did psychoses such as melancholic, manic, bipolar, neurotic to name a few. However, there are those that also call him sane (Bynum and Neve 391). Hamlet’s true nature is unclear throughout the play since he appears to have lost his mind in the presence of a select few, whereas, around others he is completely lucid. Add in the entrance of his father’s ghost requesting revenge and it is no wonder that those around Hamlet find themselves unsure of him. Nevertheless, it is the ghost that gives Hamlet the mission that drives him, while the appearance of the slain king’s spirit serves a representative for Hamlet’s varying degree of sanity

Very rarely is an individual born with madness; more often than not, madness is inherited from experiences they have had. Hamlet had walked into the forest after being informed by his friends about the ghost that they saw, and it had turned out to be hamlet's father. Along with it, dysfunction had overtaken the family because of Hamlet’s curiosity of his father’s death and his madness from it. The mystery of death has the power to change the appearance of a person; more primitively, Hamlet’s father informing his son about his death and the madness that followed from Hamlet’s curiosity.