Psychological Disorders In Hamlet, Before My Eyes, By William Shakespeare

Hamlet is considered a classic play that tells the story of revenge, written by, William Shakespeare. Before My Eyes is a novel, by Caroline Bock, that shows the truth behind believing what we want, not what we see. These two works have psychological illness in common. Hamlet and Barkley are both mentally ill; the Prince of Denmark is depressed and bipolar while the lonely and obsessive 21 year-old is schizophrenic.

The young disturbed prince shows symptoms of suffering from both depression and bipolar disorder. Signs of depression arose early in this play, Hamlet was grieving the loss of his father, King Hamlet, when “[he had] wish[ed his] dirty flesh could melt away into a vapor, or that God had not made a law against suicide” (Shakespeare

Not only did Hamlet contemplates suicide but also suffered from an overwhelming sadness “Neither [his] black clothes, nor [his] dear mother, nor [his] heavy sigh, nor [his] weeping, nor [his] downcast eyes, nor [his] other displays of grief, can show how [he] really feel[s]” (Shakespeare 25). The Prince of Denmark also suffered from a second psychological illness bipolar disorder. He started showing symptoms of this disorder after the ghost of his dead father appeared and told him that it was Hamlet 's own uncle who had poisoned him, and that he must avenge his death. This news left Hamlet unstable he began to second guess himself and the other around him, paranoid he began to think “The Ghost [he] saw maybe the devil, and the devil has the power to assume a pleasing disguise, so [the ghost] maybe taking advantage of [his] weakness and sadness to bring about my damnation” (Shakespeare 133). Among paranoia, massive mood swings and changes in behavior were also symptoms he showed for bipolarism. Becoming extremely rude and inconstance towards his love interest are examples of the changes in behavior and mood swings. at the

His character is lonely, obsessed with good or evil (mostly what defines each and what he would be categorized as) and suffers from schizophrenia. This physiological disorder often first presents in a person during their early 20’s and barkley being 21 makes him a prime candidate. One of the symptoms schizophrenia is “ Patient[s] hears voices” (Carpendent 1) which barkley displays the entire book he hears voice, “[he] latch onto the voice. The voice is with [him], faint but nevertheless there. [His] heart races” (Bock 2). He also is an “insomniac” (Carpenter 2) “[he] do[es] not sleep” (Bock 44) which is another symptom, this is classified as a serious defect symptom in which the lack of sleep helps him separate himself from his environment, which occurs often in the book, he his never truly in the moment when someone is talking to him. Barkley’s “voices [are often] commenting on his actions as they are performed” (Carpenter 1), like when he he went to purchase the gun he used to shoot up the senator 's campaign event, “It was remarkably easy [for him] to buy the glock. [He] drove out of state to a gun show [and] listen[ed] to the voice. Careful. Smile. Walk perfectly. Purchase the glock” (Bock 44-45). He also suffers from physical symptoms of the illness he is the “recipient of body sensations that are imposed from the outside” (Carpenter 2), he often feels as though the “droplets of water [from showering] felt