Shakespeare's Hamlet Essays: Psychosomatic Quietus Of Hamlet

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Psychosomatic Quietus of Hamlet
In discussion of Shakespeare’s Hamlet, one controversial issue had been whether Hamlet was completely sane or not when he went about his objective. Some critics argue that Hamlet is considered as “someone who is naive and irrational”. My own view is that Hamlet’s demise was due to a serious psychological disorder. Even from the beginning of Hamlet’s “ordinary world” he’s been thrown into depression. His depression helps Hamlet accept the “call to adventure” without much delay, it gives him whim of his “tests, allies and enemies”, and his depression even has influence on the “approach” to the matter at hand. Unfortunately, his depression creates an “ordeal” and even manipulates the conclusion of the “resurrection …show more content…

Within his own blog John Folk Williams, an author who also dealt with depression first hand, quotes and believes that depression “must be brought on by feelings that life had no meaning” (Williams). At the same time Hamlet finds his purpose when he encounters the ghost of his deceased father. “ 'Tis given out that, sleeping in my orchard/ A serpent stung me; so the whole ear of Denmark/ Is by a forged process of my death/ Rankly abused: but know, thou noble youth,/ The serpent that did sting thy father 's life/ Now wears his crown” (I.v.34-39). Out of immense perplexity he winds up in Ophelias bedroom, upon this encounter she describes “with a look so piteous in purport/ As if he had been loosèd out of hell/ To speak of horrors—he comes before me” (II.i.82-84). Though one may argue it’s naive or isn’t smart to give away the first indication that something is wrong so simply but Hamlet is only human and like many other his first reaction in a state of shock is to find comfort with the one he’s closest …show more content…

“That he, as 'twere by accident, may here/ Affront Ophelia:/ Her father and myself, lawful espials/ Will so bestow ourselves that, seeing, unseen” (III.i.29-33). One of the more difficult tests he was encountered with was brought to him early on when Claudius and Polonius sends Ophelia with rejection of Hamlet’s love. This enabled Hamlet to build up a sense of paranoia against Polonius and Claudius but at the same time Ophelia who was first an ally to Hamlet is now seen as an enemy. The National Institute of Mental Health stated on their website that “Often psychotically depressed people become paranoid” and that “ those with psychotic depression are usually aware that these thoughts aren’t true”. Now it is clear that Hamlet’s suspicion was correct but he did result to targeting Polonius without fully understanding his position within the plot and his true motive, ultimately leading to the stabbing and death of Polonius. His obvious mental illness however does not lead him to forget about his goal of avenging his

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