Madness and Insanity in Shakespeares Hamlet - Hamlet and...

Hamlet and Insanity William Shakespeare’s supreme tragic drama Hamlet does not answer fully for many in the audience the pivotal question concerning the sanity of Hamlet – whether it is totally feigned or not. Let us treat this topic in detail, along with critical comment. George Lyman Kittredge in the Introduction to The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, explains the prince’s rationale behind the entirely pretended insanity: In Shakespeare’s drama, however, Hamlet’s motive for acting the madman is obvious. We speak unguardedly in the presence of children and madmen, for we take it for granted that they will not listen or will not understand; and so the King or the Queen (for Hamlet does not know†¦show more content†¦Hamlet’s first soliloquy deepens the psychological rift between the prince and the world at large, but especially women; it emphasizes the frailty of women – an obvious reference to his mother’s hasty and incestuous marriage to her husband’s brother: Must I remember? why, she would hang on him, As if increase of appetite had grown By what it fed on: and yet, within a month-- Let me not think ont--Frailty, thy name is woman! (1.2) The Ghost reveals to the protagonist that King Hamlet was murdered by Claudius, who had a relationship with Gertrude prior to the murder; the ghost requests revenge by Hamlet: â€Å"Revenge his foul and most unnatural murder.† Hamlet swears to carry out vengeance on King Claudius. The hero resolves to put on an â€Å"antic disposition† to disguise his intentions while he seriously works on avenging his murdered father. So it would seem that the prince’s madness is entirely feigned – at least at first. Hamlet’s girlfriend, Ophelia, is unfortunately the first to experience the hero’s new â€Å"madness,† and she is terrorized by his visit. Marchette Chute in â€Å"The Story Told in Hamlet† describes Polonius’ analysis of Hamlet’sShow MoreRelated Madness and Insanity in Shakespeares Hamlet Essay1390 Words   |  6 Pages     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In Shakespeares 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.   Ophelias 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 bothRead More Insanity in Shakespeares Hamlet - The Madness of Hamlet Essay2270 Words   |  10 PagesThe Madness of Hamlet    William Shakespeare, in the tragedy Hamlet, designed two characters who exhibit symptoms of madness: Ophelia and the prince. Hamlet states his own madness as intentional, purposeful, for the carrying out of the ghost’s admonition. But does Hamlet’s pretended insanity actually touch on real, actual insanity from time to time, or is it consistent? Phyllis Abrahms and Alan Brody in â€Å"Hamlet and the Elizabethan Revenge Tragedy Formula† consider the madness of the heroRead More Madness and Insanity in Shakespeares Hamlet Essay3091 Words   |  13 PagesHamlet and Insanity      Ã‚  Ã‚   William Shakespeare’s creation of the character of Hamlet within the tragedy of that name left open the question of whether the madness of the protagonist is entirely feigned or not. This essay will treat this aspect of the drama.    George Lyman Kittredge in the Introduction to The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, explains the lack of success with Hamlet’s pretended insanity, and in so doing he implies that the madness is entirely feigned and not real:Read More Madness and Insanity in Shakespeares Hamlet Essay793 Words   |  4 PagesMadness and Insanity in Shakespeares Hamlet         Ã‚   Shakespeares Hamlet is a master of deception. Hamlet decides to make Claudius believe that he is insane, but the scheme backfires when everyone, except Claudius, falls for it. Ophelia is one of those who believes Hamlet lost his mind, and when he does not return her love, she is so brokenhearted that she commits suicide. Near the end of the tragedy, Hamlet plays the part so well, that he convinces himself he is insane. Clearly, HamletsRead More Madness and Insanity in Shakespeares Hamlet - The Necessary Madness of Hamlet1140 Words   |  5 PagesNecessary Madness of Hamlet      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Hamlet, by William Shakespeare, is a complex play, filled with layers of meaning. These are often revealed through the madness of the characters and the theme of madness throughout the play. Although Hamlet and Ophelia are the only characters thought to be so afflicted, the reactions of other characters to this madness mirrors their own preoccupations.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   When one refers to madness in Hamlet, most would think of Hamlets madness, or at leastRead More Madness and Insanity in Shakespeares Hamlet - From Obsession to Insanity1006 Words   |  5 PagesFrom Obsession to Madness in Hamlet      Ã‚   In Shakespeares play Hamlet, there are several questions that come to the readers mind regarding the emotional state of Hamlet.   Was Hamlet really suffering from madness, as many of his friends and family thought?   Was he mad or just pretending to be mad?   Did Hamlet start out pretending to be mad, and his obsession drove him to madness?   The reader gets insight into Hamlets mental status through other characters and through Hamlet himself. If the charactersRead More Madness and Insanity in Shakespeares Hamlet Essay964 Words   |  4 PagesHamlet - A Question of Madness      Ã‚   Hamlets public persona is a facade he has created to carry out his ulterior motives. The outside worlds perception of him as being mad is of his own design. Hamlet is deciding what he wants others to think about him. Polonius, a close confidant of the King, is the leading person responsible for the publics knowledge of Hamlets madness. The idea that Hamlet is mad centers around the fact that he talks to the ghost of his dead father. He communicates withRead More Sanity, Insanity, Madness? - William Shakespeares Hamlet is Sane2156 Words   |  9 PagesSanity, Insanity, Madness? - William Shakespeares Hamlet is Sane In William Shakespeares Hamlet, the lead character, Prince Hamlet of Denmark, has been interpreted in numerous ways. Throughout the play Hamlet takes on different personas, making it hard define him as only one character type. Often when critics analyze the character of Hamlet, they question his sanity because of his ambiguity soon after he sees his fathers ghost. What does it mean to be insane? The definition of the word insaneRead MoreShakespeare s Madness : A Timeless Reflection Of Society1535 Words   |  7 PagesShakespeare’s Madness: A Timeless Reflection of Society The word â€Å"madness† often provokes thoughts of schizophrenia, dementia, and psychosis; however, these illnesses prove not to be the exact cause of the various downfalls to the characters throughout the play Hamlet. The author, William Shakespeare, depicts a different type of insanity in the play, one that seems ambiguous but also feels eerily similar to ones that still affect others to this day. Shweta Bali, author of Mechanics of Madness inRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Hamlet - Conversation Enabler1332 Words   |  6 PagesConversation-Enabler In Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Ophelia is one of the most elusive characters of the play and her importance is very hard to pinpoint and has raised eyebrows for centuries. For example, the scene of her death is one that artists have depicted over and over, yet that iconic moment is merely alluded to and happens off stage. This reflects Ophelia’s character very well considering that she is often at the periphery of the action; more talked about then talked to. There are many questions