Examples Of Madness In Hamlet

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Hamlet is using madness to conceal his ulterior agenda of enacting revenge on his step father/uncle King Claudius to fulfill his father’s entity wish. He believes that in portraying a madman, attention will only be directed towards his socially abnormal antics. Hamlet came up with this plan at end of Act one and he enacts it in Act Two. After two months, Hamlet’s plan is shown to be running well as everyone in Denmark are focusing on his newfound insanity.
The people of Denmark have many contrast theories on Hamlet’s sudden change of behavior. Polonius believes that Hamlet’s sudden madness comes from his unrequited love for his daughter Ophelia. This brings somewhat pride to him, that the Prince of Denmark is madly in love with his daughter. On the other hand, Gertrude believes that Hamlet’s abnormal behavior derives from him not being able to deal with the death of his father and her incestuous marriage to his uncle Claudius. “I doubt it no other but the main, his father’s death and o’erhasty marriage” (2, 2, 1145). Hamlet’s deception of the public and his royal family brings euphoria and it is therapeutic to him. …show more content…

In Act Two, Scene Two, Hamlet insults Polonius by calling him a fishmonger (implying that he is selling his daughter for his own gain). All Polonius can surmise is that Hamlet’s madness is severe to the point of not being able to remember people very well. Hamlet’s feign of madness gives him extended time to flesh out his revenge plot on King Claudius for his father’s death. First, he needs to make sure that Claudius committed the crime and he himself is not being deceived by the entity. However, throughout Act Two, Scene Two, Hamlet shows signs of actual mental conflict within him to his dear old friends Rosencrantz and

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