Insanity In Hamlet Analysis

Topic 3: An Analysis of Hamlet’s Insanity in “The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark” by William Shakespeare

In this drama study, an analysis of the theme of insanity will be defined through a critical and text-based evaluation of Hamlet’s behaviors in “The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark” by William Shakespeare. The “ghost scene” in Act I defines the dramatic shift from sanity to insanity as hamlet is informed by his father that Claudius has poisoned him to death and taken his wife, Hamlet’s mother, as his new wife. This supernatural scene defines the underlying madness that hamlet experiences, which transforms him into a psychotic and paranoid individual throughout the rest of the play. This form of psychotic behavior negates the

premise of an “antic disposition”, since Hamlet basis much of information on what the ghost has told him. More so, hamlet’s uninformed and psychic state of mind defines the tragic events that cause murder, suicide, and other maladies as a result of his insanity. In essence, an analysis of the theme of insanity will be defined to identify the psychotic behaviors of Hamlet in “The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark” by William Shakespeare.
The first scene with the ghost of Hamlet’s father is an important aspect of Hamlet’s own psychological issues related to the loss of his father. The ghost appears as a supernatural aspect of the scene, which Hamlet acknowledges as a valid interaction with the spirit world. However, the horror of the ghost also illustrates the psychotic state of mind that Hamlet experiences when he witnesses the ghost begin to speak to him about the circumstances of his death and ghostly appearance. This is an early sign of Hamlet’s psychotic state, which defines the ghost’s presence as a sign of a devolving mental state:
GHOST:
I am thy father’s spirit,
Doomed for a certain term to walk the night
And for the day confined to fast in fires,
Till the foul crimes done in my days of nature
Are burnt and purged away (Shakespeare 1.5.8-13).
This supernatural introduction defines the circumstances of the ghost’s dire circumstances, which are meant to influence hamlet into seeking revenge for the death of his father. Surely, the other three guards also witness the ghost, but it is Hamlet that actually converse with the supernatural entity. This aspect of a collect witness to the ghost’s appearance provides evidence of Hamlet’s sanity, yet the delusional state of his mind becomes a more advanced conversation with the entity. In this manner, Hamlet is far more prone to the delusional aspects of grief and suffering, which make him a willing listener to the ghost’s demands that he seek revenge for his death at the hands of Claudius. Of course, the entire basis of Hamlet’s quest for revenge is based on the ghost’s testimony. Over the course of the play, Hamlet finds little evidence to support the claims of the ghost, as it reflects a psychologically disturbed and willful state of mind that brings misunderstanding and death into the royal court.
Another example of Hamlet’s insanity is the way in which he begins to obsess about the ghost’s message, which makes him suspicious of everyone in the royal court.

After the initial visitation of the ghost, hamlet begins to obsess about killing Claudius as part of a new plan to rid the royal court of his father’s murder. More so, he begins to despise his mother for marrying Claudius right after her husband’s death. Hamlet begins to hate his mother just as much as Claudius, which defines the expanded psychosis of the ghost’s message as part of a long term delusional state. This is one aspect of Hamlet’s deteriorating madness that dictates the paranoia that drives him to kill Claudius and shame his mother into

submission:
From the fair forehead of an innocent love
And sets a blister there, makes marriage-vows
As false as dicers' oaths: O, such a deed
As from the body of contraction plucks
The very soul (Shakespeare 3.4.49-53).
In this quote, Hamlet is not only seeking revenge against Claudius, but against anyone—including his mother, that has participated in the death of his father and the kingdom. Eventually, Hamlet begins to distrust his one true love, Ophelia, as part of the extended madness of his condition in the pursuit of revenge against all that may or may not have played a part in the death of his father. This aspect of circumstantial suspicion and paranoia define the madness of Hamlet as a result of the ghost’s initial appearance. Regardless of the existence of the ghost as a supernatural entity, it is apparent that Hamlet has become obsessed with removing anyone with a link to Claudius in the royal court as part of a plot to usurp the throne. Certainly, these are important aspects of hamlet’s behavior that illustrate a mind that continually descends into madness due to the ghost’s psychological influence over his mind, but more importantly, in the affairs of the royal court.
Finally, Hamlet’s insanity results in the death of many members of the royal court.

Hamlet’s misinformed and delusional state of mind mistakes Polonius for Claudius, which results in his death. More so Hamlet also induces Ophelia to lose faith in their love, which results in her own suicide. Not only is Hamlet delusional, but he also begins to relentlessly obsess about possible enemies in the royal court. Ophelia’s death is one of the great tragedies of the play, since Hamlet is completely obsessed with the ghost’s message of revenge. This delusional state does not go unseen by Gertrude and Ophelia, as they discuss the “wildness” of Hamlet’s state of

mind:
Queen:
And for your part, Ophelia, I do wish
That your good beauties be the happy cause
Of Hamlet's wildness. So shall I hope your virtues will bring him to his wonted way again,
To both your honours.
Ophelia: Madam, I wish it may.”
(Shakespeare 3.1.44-50).
This dialogue defines the external perception of Hamlet’s madness, as the queen is also aware that she was bound to marry Claudius after the death her husband. Ophelia is also perplexed by Hamlet’s distrust of her, since she has given no sign that she is loyal to Claudius as the usurper of the throne. This is part of the inner machinations of Hamlet’s mind, which continually misinform of the reality of circumstances with his own beloved and his mother. Eventually, Hamlet’s madness results in Ophelia’s suicide, the death of his friends, and the murder of Claudius. Finally, hamlet’s madness illustrates the insanity of a mind obsessed with revenge on the basis of a ghostly, visit, which results in his own death. These are important aspects of Hamlet’s insanity that illustrate the psychotic and delusional state of mind that falls from grace on misinformed obsessions related to the status of certain members of the royal court.