Examples Of Shakespeare On Revenge And Madness

Shakespeare on Revenge and Madness Shakespeare, the world’s most renowned writer created Hamlet long before modern theories of psychological health. Hamlet exemplifies many symptoms of modern mental instability. Having conquered the barrier of time Shakespeare created a lasting classic depicting the fatalities of revenge and their connection with mental instability. Shakespeare connects the plagues of revenge with consequences, specifically with schizophrenia, to prove the theme that revenge is fatal and should not be pursued. The play begins with the introduction of King Hamlet’s death. Here the reader sees Prince Hamlet mourning his father’s death while his uncle, King Claudius, and mother, Queen Gertrude, try to persuade him to forget

Hamlet could be classified as schizophrenic based solely off cause. The triggers mentioned, Gertrude and Claudius wanting him to repress his mourning and the ghost, confuse Hamlet. One major cause of schizophrenia is dissonance between thoughts, actions, and surroundings. Hamlet experiences dissonance between his surroundings and his thoughts. He wants to mourn for his father’s death but Claudius and Gertrude try to stop him due to their own self interest for the thrown. Claudius asks Hamlet to stop mourning “T’is unmanly grief/It shows a will most incorrect in heaven” (1.2 94-95). This confliction helps to trigger not only his revenge plot but also Hamlet’s insanity, or schizophrenia. He experiences other major dissonance that are a result of his revenge plot, but this is the point where his schizophrenia

Throughout the play Hamlet is seen contemplating whether or not to take action. Hamlet sees Claudius praying and contemplates whether “Now might [he (Hamlet)] do it pat, now a is a-praying” (3.3 73). Hamlet is contemplating whether or not to commit the action and kill Claudius. During his short soliloquy here, the reader finds Hamlet with an urge to commit the murder but physically not being able to. In this instance he blames the time, he claims that “now a is a-praying/...so a goes to heaven” (3.3 74-74). Hamlet thinks that if he kills Claudius while he is praying, that Claudius will go to heaven. This dissonance is another cause and symptom of his schizophrenia. Again, Shakespeare is trying to illustrate Hamlet’s symptoms so that the reader may be aware of Hamlet’s situation and mental state. More importantly, Shakespeare wants the reader to find Hamlet insane and schizophrenic because it aids in the portrayal of his