Why Is Hamlet Crazy

1028 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Critical essay on hamlet's real madness

The Conclusions of Hamlet’s Insanity
To be, or not to be, that is the question. When regarding Hamlet by William Shakespeare, there are many discussions to whether or not Hamlet is considered crazy. This quote from Shweta Bali, gives a definition of insanity. “Insanity is defined as ‘mental illness or derangement’ perpetuating ravings, loss of reason, dementia, psychosis, paranoia, hallucinations and schizophrenia” (2). Based on this definition, Hamlet is crazy because of his hallucinations, his paranoia, and his psychosis.
Throughout the entire play, Hamlet has had many encounters with his hallutions. In Act Three, Scene Four, Hamlet is having a conversation with the ghost of his father, however he is the only one that can see him.
“Gertrude …show more content…

Hamlet
Upon my sword
Marcellus
We have sworn, my lord, already”
Hamlet
Indeed, upon my sword,indeed” (Shakespeare I.iv. 143-150).
After Hamlet has his conversation with the ghost, he shows an automatic distrust with Horatio and Mercutio, one of which being his closest friend. This quote is one of the first instances where Hamlet begins to question the reliability of the people that he’s surrounded by. While this may be the one of the first times this happens, it is only the beginning of many, many more. In the following quote, another example of how Hamlet is less trusting of people is shown.
“Hamlet
...Be even and direct with me whether you were sent for or no.
Rosencrantz
What say you?
Hamlet
Nay,then,I have an eye of you - If you love me, hold not off”(Shakespeare II.ii.272-276).
In this quote, Hamlet is talking to Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, and he expresses the fact that the two excuses for comic relief could not be trusted. When Hamlet asks Rosencrantz and Guildenstern why they came back to Denmark, he automatically jumped to the conclusion that the two of them were lying to him. Hamlet’s paranoia and his distrust in the people that he’s surrounded with, shows the beginning signs of his …show more content…

Hamlet believes that everyone in the castle is working against him to try and stop whatever he’s planning to do. However that is not the case, and he seems to turn on people that used to be very close to him. “All the rage that Hamlet takes out on Ophelia and Gertrude is often interpreted as being symptomatic of his degenerating mind” (Bali 5). This quote shows that Hamlet was using his madness to hurt the people that he once cared for deeply. Even though Hamlet once cared for these people, because of his slow-developing insanity, he was willing to hurt them. While Hamlet was in a process of dissociation, not only was he mentally distancing himself from those most dear to him, he was spiraling further and further from all elements of reality. Each mad action the Hamlet executed was propelling himself deeper into chaos, as is defined in the following quote. “Unable to perceive and accept reality, the afflicted individual tries to avoid or negate the harsh reality” (Bali 2). This quote relates to Hamlet as he begins to slowly confuse his “reality” with what is truly going on. In many scenes, Hamlet is seen interacting with the ghost. However, in the later encounters, it is shown that no one else is able to see it. The fact that Hamlet cannot recognise the difference between what is reality and what isn’t, goes to prove the existence of his

Show More
Related

  • Desiree's Baby Armand Quotes

    323 Words  | 1 Pages

    There is a lot to talk about Armand character in the short story of Desiree’s baby. In the beginning of the story, he is such a great person he loves Desiree. This quote “beautiful and gentle” shows that Armand is fall in love with her. However, his character change, when he found out that baby wasn’t white. His character of being a good husband to a cruel husband. The story clearly explains his initial character and final character. I believe he is not pitiable at all because he shows his cruelty character toward Desiree and not only that, he cares about his social standing, which motivates him. When he bought “fine clothing and layettle” this shows a symbolic object of wealth and his possession of Desiree. He wouldn’t act in a cruel way if

    Read More

  • A Comparison Of The Kite Runner And Hamlet

    1511 Words  | 4 Pages

    Hamlet is extremely proud of Old King and respects him.“He was a great human being. He was perfect in everything. I’ll never see the likes of him again” (I.ii.185-188). Hamlet loves his father and gives the greatest praise at the funeral. Grief driven by love tempts Hamlet to think his father’s goodness, and more, the loss of such a favorable figure. Hamlet believes that the ghost that is said to look like the dead king is indeed his father.”He waxes desperate with imagination”(I.ii.92). The Prince, who is deep in sadness and does not think sufficiently, is convinced that the spirit is the Old Hamlet, he is the only person that can physically communicate with the ghost. Hamlet for the second time talks to the apparition in his mother’s chamber, where Gertrude does not see any. What Horatio and other witnesses encounter at the gate at night proves the possibility of the existence of the ghost, Hamlet later in the play is considered to be truly mad on the account of his unusual ability to see and talk to the spirit, which is obviously conjured up by his mind. Rising actions in both the book and the play are implied at the beginning of the stories: Amir’s memory of 1975 and Old Hamlet’s death. The journey of redemption or revenge takes actions of concealing their true emotions and implementing devised

    Read More

  • Reasoning Behind Hamlet's Madness

    1138 Words  | 3 Pages

    Throughout the play, Hamlet, written by William Shakespeare, the unclear representation of the protagonist’s actions is present. The protagonist, Hamlet, conducts the idea that he is turning mad. Although, there are many indications which support that this so-called “madness” is part of an act that Hamlet portrays. The other characters within the play try to understand the reasoning behind Hamlet’s madness, but cannot figure out the truth behind it. The main cause of Hamlet’s madness is the realization of his father’s death and the numerous influences his father’s death has on his life. Hamlet can control his actions of madness and specifically acts differently around certain characters. The characters who are more concerned

    Read More

  • Hamlet's Sanity: A Cunning Disguise

    908 Words  | 2 Pages

    What makes a person truly crazy? Is it the way they dress or is it the way they talk? It may even be their actions that cause you to believe that a person has truly gone crazy. Although Hamlet appears to have gone crazy with other characters in this book, the reader can see Hamlet is actually sane throughout the entire book. The explanations to why Hamlet is sane are as follows: his change in character is just an effect of his father, any crazy actions of Hamlet were to justify him after he killed Claudius to avenge his father’s death, he shows intelligence and is able to plan for events throughout the story.

    Read More

  • Hamlet Insane or Sane

    779 Words  | 2 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • Hamlets Mental Outline: Hamlet's Mental Decline

    1173 Words  | 3 Pages

    They decided to invite some of his college friends to watch over him. The Queen offered many thanks for their decision to watch him. “For the supply and profit of our hope, / Your visitation shall receive such thanks / As fits a king’s remembrance.” (2.2.24-26). Claudius asked Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to get answers out of him, making them seem more like spies than helpful friends. When Hamlet shows up to Ophelia’s house, seemingly mentally disturbed, Ophelia tells her father. Polonius decides to tell the King of Hamlet and Ophelia’s relationship that he thinks that may be the source of his problems. The King and Polonius set up a meeting between the two. Seeming to know he is being watched, Hamlet acts very wildly, leading them to believe Ophelia was not the cause of his insanity. The King is not impressed at Polonius. “Love! His affections do not that way tend, / Nor what he spake, though it lacked form a little, / Was not like madness. There’s something in his soul” (3.1.170-72). At this point, Hamlet has started his drastic decline in his mental stability. When he is called by the Queen for a talk, he over hears something behind the draped curtains and stabs through it, killing Polonius. His reaction is not what one would expect, as he does not feel any remorse. Hamlet simply states it was for the best and his bad luck. “Thou wretched, rash, intruding fool, farewell. / I took thee for thy

    Read More

  • Hamlet's Sanity

    1524 Words  | 4 Pages

    Hamlet can be considered no worse than an eccentric, determined, and possibly single-minded man, who was made so by his father?s murder and his request for revenge. His feigned madness is maintained because it allows him to continue with his plans. This madness is not, however, sustained when guard is unnecessary. Maybe Hamlet thought too much, but he thought as a sane man would. He commits no actions without reason, and he is far too astute and organized to be proclaimed mentally unstable. Hamlet?s portrayal of a madman is also very complex because it allows not only his points to be made, but in a believably insane way, which contrasts greatly with the expected ramblings of a truly insane person.

    Read More

  • Hamlet's Sanity In Hamlet Analysis

    1561 Words  | 4 Pages

    After this scene Hamlet acts insane and he often criticizes his mother for remarrying and even insults her, but gets away with his actions because at this point those around him are starting to believe there is something wrong with Hamlet. He is not crazy but if he were truly crazy then he would not internally realize that he is mad, a crazy person usually doesn 't realize they are going crazy, but it is others who realize because of his or her actions. In Hamlet 's case, Hamlet knows he is "crazy" and his acting is beneficial for him because he is able to talk freely without having to hold anything back. If Hamlet were truly insane it would have caused him his own death, because usually when an individual is insane they are unaware of what they are saying and their actions are usually always made hastily, a quality that Hamlet does not seem to

    Read More

  • King Hamlet's Ambiguous Ghost

    2020 Words  | 5 Pages

    I personally disagree with the author W.W. Greg’s interpretation of Hamlet’s ghost, and believe that his assumption that Hamlet is simply hallucinating his father’s ghost is without merit. Many of W.W. Greg’s claims relate Hamlet to other plays that were written by Shakespeare, claiming that due to how Shakespeare portrayed ghosts in his previous works, it would follow that Hamlet also fits into the same mold as these past writings. W.W. Greg even states, “I should like to be told what Shakespeare's views were of ghosts in general ... I am forced to turn to Shakespeare's other plays for suggestions as to how he represented these phenomena” (Greg 395). W.W. Greg is simply claiming that trends in Shakespeare’s writings in the past logically must take the same form in the character of Hamlet’s ghost. This method of thinking simply does not hold up when examined critically, mainly due to the fact that there were multiple witnesses to the ghost, a...

    Read More

  • The Importance Of Trust In Hamlet

    1576 Words  | 4 Pages

    In the end, Hamlet became isolated from society and those that were closest to him. By himself, Hamlet began to question himself further confusing himself and distracting him from his goal of revenge. Through the death of his father, hamlet lost trust in his people. Through the betrayal and remarrying of his mother, Hamlet lost trust in his mother and women, leading to his distrust in Ophelia. Through the murder of his father by Claudius, Hamlet lost trust in those associated with the King and thereby lost trust in his childhood friends. Medha Chaitanya once said "The pain of losing trust on someone whom you love is equal to the pain of killing yourself." Hamlet lost the trust of all his important people, distracting him from his goal and leading to his death. There must be some merit to Chaitanya 's words after

    Read More

  • Darwin's Depression In Hamlet

    1815 Words  | 4 Pages

    Using theories such as Darwin’s and Freud’s theory of mother-infant relationship. The theory of the “negative schematic process. ”And Walter Benjamin’s theory of allegories all reinforce Hamlet’s true state

    Read More

  • Hamlet’s Madness

    1882 Words  | 4 Pages

    ..., disrespect the girl he loves, and dress in a manner that is unlike him. Hamlet’s primary motive in life becomes to obtain revenge for his father’s death. He is no longer concerned with upholding the image that he once had. Hamlet’s madness ultimately consumes him.

    Read More

  • Hamlet

    1500 Words  | 3 Pages

    In the play Hamlet by William Shakespeare, the main character, Hamlet, is often perceived by the other characters in the play as being mentally unbalanced because he acts in ways that drive them to think he is mad. Hamlet may very well be psychotic; however, there are times when he “feigns insanity” in order to unearth the truth surrounding his father's death. This plan seems to be going well until Hamlet's mental state slowly begins to deteriorate. What began as an act of insanity or antic disposition transitions from an act to a tragic reality. After studying Hamlet's actions, one will notice that as the play progresses, his feigned insanity becomes less and less intentional and devolves into true mental illness.

    Read More

  • Why Is Hamlet Crazy

    774 Words  | 2 Pages

    Hamlet is scared of doing the wrong thing and murdering an innocent

    Read More

  • Free Essays - The Supernatural in Hamlet

    507 Words  | 2 Pages

    The conversation between the ghost and hamlet serves as a catalyst for Hamlet's last actions and provides us with insights into Hamlet's character. The information the ghost reveals insights Hamlet into action against a situation he is already uncomfortable with. It must be noted, that hamlet is not quick to believe the ghost. He states that maybe he saw a devil that abuses him due to his meloncaully. We are thus subjected to an aspect of Hamlet's character. Hamlet next encounters the ghost in his mother's room. The ghost wets hamlets appetite. Hamlet is now convinced of the ghost and listens to it. The question many ask is did the ghost mislead hamlet?

    Read More

More about Why Is Hamlet Crazy

Open Document