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Shakespeare’s obsession with madness
Insight into Hamlet's characters
Literary criticism of hamlet
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Those who believe Hamlet’s insanity was genuine, may point out that Hamlet killed a man he did not intend to and showed little guilt, if any. This seems odd. Most sane people that kill a man find at least some sort of emotion toward the life they ended. Though many famous psychopathic killers claim not to feel guilt after their killings. Another important note is that psychopaths are often psychopaths do not qualify as insane in a court of law. So even so, this does not qualify Hamlet as truly insane. Additionally, Hamlet killed Polonius believing that the figure behind the curtain was Claudius – his father’s murderer. In the end, Hamlet didn’t feel so much guilt over Polonius’ death, because it was an attempt at doing what he believes is right:
killing a murderer. In act V, while talking to Horatio, Hamlet questions, why he shouldn’t kill the king at this point when he “hath killed my king and whored [Hamlet’s] mother, / Popped in between th’ election and my hopes, / Thrown out his angle for my proper life, / And with such cozenage” (V. ii. 71-75). Hamlet further goes on to ask the question of these morals from another perspective stating, “is ’t not to be damned / To let this canker of our nature come / In further evil?” (V. ii. 77-80). Essentially, Hamlet feels that it would be morally wrong to let such a horrible man live. Hamlet sees it as his duty to free the world of the evil force that is Claudius. This sense of responsibility also stems from Hamlet’s father’s ghost in Act I who asks requests that he “Let not the royal bed of Denmark be / A couch for luxury and damned incest,” which is telling Hamlet to get revenge for Claudius’ murderous actions (I. v. 89-90). Overall, Hamlet’s accidental murder of Polonius is seen to be a part of the process to kill Claudius, which Hamlet sees as morally sound, and therefore, Hamlet feels less guilt over Polonius.
that they had seen a ghost during the night watch. Hamlet was shocked at the
death when his mother and the king enter the room and question him on his
In Shakespeare’s play Hamlet the main character Hamlet experiences many different and puzzling emotions. He toys with the idea of killing himself and then plays with the idea of murdering others. Many people ask themselves who or what is this man and what is going on inside his head. The most common question asked about him is whether or not he is sane or insane. Although the door seems to swing both ways many see him as a sane person with one thought on his mind, and that is revenge. The first point of his sanity is while speaking with Horatio in the beginning of the play, secondly is the fact of his wittiness with the other characters and finally, his soliloquy.
Riddled with ambiguity by its very nature, the text of William Shakespeare's Hamlet has been a commonly debated subject in literary circles since its first performance. The character Hamlet undergoes intense physical and emotional hardship in his quest for revenge against his despicable uncle. This hardship, some argue, leads to an emotional breakdown and, ultimately, Hamlet's insanity. While this assessment may be suitable in some cases, it falls short in others. Since Hamlet is a play, the ultimate motivation of each of the characters borrows not only from the text, but also from the motivations of the actors playing the parts. In most respects, these motivations are more apt at discerning the emotional condition of a character than their dialogue ever could. Thus, the question is derived: In Kenneth Branagh's film adaptation of Hamlet, does the character Hamlet suffer from insanity? Giving halt to the response, this paper will first endeavor to establish what insanity is and will then provide sufficient examples both from the text, film, and Branagh's own musings on his motivations as proof that Hamlet's character, at least in Branagh's version of the play, is not insane.
He also admits to his mother after he kills Polonius his lack of true insanity. While talking to his mother he says “I essentially am not in madness, but mad in craft” (Act 3, Scene 4, Line 194-5). Others realize themselves that his madness may not be true, and that even if it is, he still has shred of sanity. Even Polonius catches on to his act and mentions “Though this be madness, yet there is method in’t.” (Act 2, Scene 2, Line 205-6) Polonius feels as though Hamlet’s insanity is nothing more than possibly rudeness and sarcasm, instead of genuine loss of mind.
Similarly, in another scene, he is able to tell Polonius his true feelings through his guise. Upon Polonius deciding to ?take leave? of Hamlet, Hamlet replies, ?You cannot, take from me anything that I will more willingly part withal (2.2.233).? Furthermore, Hamlet uses his madness as almost an excuse, and definitely part of his apology, towards Laertes for his murdering of Polonious. Would a madman be able realize he was mad and call his actions uncontrollable? Were it not for his ?madness? he would have been reprimanded rather than feared, pitied, or ignored. Hamlet?s madness redirects attention away from what he is thinking about his father?s death, and puts it on why he has gone insane. This allows only himself to know what he is truly thinking, does not require him to answer any questions as to why he might be acting strange, a...
... way for him to escape his criminal deeds. Insanity is when a person cannot decipher right from wrong or know the effects of their actions. They are generally unaware of what they are doing. If in a state of insanity you commit a crime, the charges are dropped and this has been done throughout history. However, in Hamlet’s case all evidence shows that not only do Hamlet’s actions have reason behind them, but he is well aware of the result that they would trigger. In all the points given, it is seen, that the motif behind Hamlet’s disposition is carried out sanely, even though to others they may seem mad, to Hamlet and those who know his intentions they are not. Therefore, the evidence that has been presented proves that Hamlet was in a normal state the entire time, and hence, he should be punished for the deaths of the three people for which he is responsible for.
Shakespeare's tragic hero, Hamlet, and his sanity can arguably be discussed. Many portions of the play supports his loss of control in his actions, while other parts uphold his ability of dramatic art. The issue can be discussed both ways and altogether provide significant support to either theory. There are indications from Hamlet throughout the play of his mind's well being.
Justification of Hamlet's Sanity in Shakespeare's Hamlet Shakespeare's play "Hamlet" is about a complex protagonist, Hamlet, who faces adversity and is destined to murder the individual who killed his father. Hamlet is a character who although his actions and emotions may be one of an insane person, in the beginning of the book it is clear that Hamlet decides to fake madness in order for his plan to succeed in killing Claudius. Hamlet is sane because throughout the play he only acts crazy in front of certain people, to others he acts properly and displays proper prince like behavior who is able to cope with them without sounding crazy, and even after everything that has been going on in his life he is able to take revenge by killing his father's murderer. In the play Hamlet by William Shakespeare, Hamlet is sane but acts insane to fulfill his destiny of getting vengeance on his father's murderer. We can see this when he talks to Claudius, Polonius, Ophelia, and his mother.
When Hamlet murders Polonius, it is evident that Hamlet has gone thoroughly insane and he cannot return from the point he is at. No one is safe from Hamlet and the way he is deporting now. Hamlet has upset his mother by incriminating Claudius and insisting that her marriage is incest. Gertrude even says, Come, come, you answer with an idle tongue (Act 3 Scene 4. 10). This is in replication to Hamlet telling his mother that she is disrespecting King Hamlet (Act 3 Scene 3.9). All this that has occurred verbalizes volumes to Hamlet losing his sanity due to his recollection of the loss of his
In Hamlet, he seems to be mad, but there is a question that everyone asks when reading or watching this play “was it, or was it not true that Hamlet was faking his insanity, really suffering, or maybe even both.” First, this is what insanity is: insanity is acting crazy, but not knowing that they’re acting crazy. Also, it’s going through a lot of stress at the same time causing you to act stranger then a normal person. Hamlet was not totally insane. It doesn’t fit.
Only a few acts later, he murders Polonius in cold blood, and has no reaction, saying ‘I took thee for thy better’ (L.34) suggesting how he mistook Polonius for the King. In contrast Hamlet spends most of the time, thinking and not acting; it could be considered strange behaviour that he should suddenly react in this way. It can be argued that these, are not the actions of a sane person, and the question of to what extent is Hamlet’s madness is feigned. The OED defines ‘Mad’ as when ones actions are ‘uncontrolled by reason or judgement; foolish, unwise’ which can be argued to encompass Hamlets behaviour, and it might be thought that from Polonius’s murder,
Horatio warns that the ghost may “deprive [his] sovereignty of reason” and “draw [him] into madness”, while the ghost’s intentions do not seem to be malicious, soon after the encounter Hamlet decides to act insane for personal gain. This initial glimpse of madness blurs the rest of Hamlets choices in the play. The audience has trouble distinguishing whether his choices are merely an act or true insanity. This distinction becomes even more blurred in the last scene of Act 3 and the first scene in Act 4. Hamlet unknowingly murders Polonius during his private talk with his mother. He does not stop at merely killing an innocent man, however, and proceeds to, “draw apart the body he hath kill’d/O’er whom his very madness, like some ore/Among a mineral of metals base”(4.1.25-27). Hamlet kills a man, and, like a mad man, “from his mother’s closet hath he dragg’d him”(4.1.36). This irrational behavior leads to questions all of Hamlet’s behaviors. The audience loses sight of Hamlets mental stability and is left to question rather all of his actions are planned or if they are just the products of mad
The tragedy of Hamlet by William Shakespeare is about Hamlet going insane and reveals his madness through his actions and dialogue. Hamlet remains one of the most discussed literary characters of all time. This is most likely due to the complex nature of Hamlet as a character. In one scene, Hamlet appears happy, and then he is angry in another and melancholy in the next. Hamlet’s madness is a result of his father’s death which was supposedly by the hands of his uncle, Claudius. He has also discovered that this same uncle is marrying his mom. It is expected that Hamlet would be suffering from some emotional issues as result of these catastrophes. Shakespeare uses vivid language, metaphors, and imagery to highlight how Hamlet’s madness influences several important aspects of his life including his relationships and the way he presents himself.
Hamlet's Madness in William Shakespeare's Play The Elizabethan play Hamlet is one of William Shakespeare's most popular works written around the turn of the seventeenth century. Hamlet is generally considered the foremost tragedy in English drama. One of the possible reasons for this play's popularity is the way Shakespeare uses the character Hamlet to exemplify the complex workings of the human mind exploring ideas of insanity and madness.