Is Hamlet Really Insane - 1404 Words

Mason Michalec Mrs. Martinez English IV January 1st, 2015. Was Hamlet Really Insane? William Shakespeare, a renowned poet and playwright, wrote the play Hamlet at the turn of the 16th century– which has become known and enjoyed around nearly the entire world. Ever since it was written more than four centuries ago, there has been a decently large amount of debate between Shakespearean scholars, casual readers, literary critics, and sometimes even psychologists and psychoanalysts about whether or not Hamlet ever truly went insane at any time during the play. The controversy lies within the array of seemingly strange behavior acted out by Hamlet himself – many claim no sane person could commit such acts. Hamlet s activity may seem outlandish to some, and truly it may be, but it was acted out by a rational, sane, and conscious man. Hamlet indeed does not go insane at any point; he simply feigns madness in order to achieve revenge for his father. Firstly, it is evident that Hamlet, after discovering his father was murdered by his tr eacherous, power-hungry uncle, decided to put on a show of insanity in order to deceive his uncle. Hamlet admits this himself when he confesses in secrecy to Horatio â€Å"As I perchance hereafter shall think meet to put an antic disposition on†¦ (I. v. 170-2).† Polonius theorizes that Hamlet is truly mad, and he believes the cause to be that Ophelia had earlier rejected Hamlet s romantic advances. However, Polonius himself admits that Hamlet sShow MoreRelatedDid Hamlet Really Go Insane?769 Words   |  4 PagesThere are many ways one could argue whether or not Hamlet is insane or that he really is a psycho killer. Along those lines, I believe that Hamlet did in fact go completely bonkers and everything that happened that was not in the presence of the king or queen was just a figment of his imagination. After contemplating this Ive made up a conclusion why exactly I think he is insane. In act 1, scene 4, line 68, Horatio says to Hamlet, â€Å"What if it tempt you toward the flood, my lord, or to the dreadfulRead MoreWas Hamlet Faking His Insanity? Essay572 Words   |  3 PagesIn Hamlet, he seems to be mad, but there is a question that everyone asks when reading or watching this play â€Å"was it, or was it not true that Hamlet was faking his insanity, really suffering, or maybe even both.† First, this is what insanity is: insanity is acting crazy, but not knowing that they’re acting crazy. Also, it’s going through a lot of stress at the same time causing you to act stranger then a normal person. Hamlet was not totally insane. It doesn’t fit. I’m not saying that Hamlet wasRead MoreHamlet: The Irrational Prince Essay1138 Words   |  5 PagesShakespeare’s Hamlet, the Prince of Denmark, named Hamlet, is the main character that’s going to avenge is fallen father. 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Hamlet anticipatesRead More Hamlets Sanity Essay1522 Words   |  7 PagesThroughout Shakespeare?s play, Hamlet, the main character, young Hamlet, is faced with the responsibility of attaining vengeance for his father?s murder. He decides to feign madness as part of his plan to gain the opportunity to kill Claudius. As the play progresses, his depiction of a madman becomes increasingly believable, and the characters around him react accordingly. However, through his inner thoughts and the apparent reasons for his actions, it is clear that he is not really mad and is simply an actorRead More The Mood Swings of Hamlet in Shakespeares Hamlet Essay768 Words   |  4 PagesThe Mood Swings of Hamlet in Shakespeares Hamlet Hamlet has mood swings as his mood changes openly throughout the play. Towards certain people he acts certain ways. Hamlet appears to act mad when he hears of his fathers murder. No one knows if his madness is a show like he says or real like it seems. 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Hamlet experiences traumatic events during his early adulthood such as: the death of his father, finding out his uncle murdered his father, and then his mother and uncle’s marriage. These events eventually lead Hamlet to go insane. King Hamlet died unexpectedly which caused young Hamlet excessive grief and depression. Hamlet is beingRead MoreMadness And Madness In Hamlet1455 Words   |  6 Pagesâ€Å"Hamlet, a revenge tragedy, is about Hamlet, the prince of Denmark, trying to figure out the mist behind his father’s death. By talking to his father’s ghost, Hamlet realizes that his father, King Hamlet, was killed by his own uncle, Claudius† (Kara 2). Throughout the play, the theme of madness often occurs from multiple characters. Madness can be defined as a mental disability or a pathological condition of the mind eliminating all rational thoughts caused by an unthinkable injury. These injuries