Comparison of Madness and Sanity in Hamlet and Death of a Salesman Could anyone really determine whether or not a person is mad or sane? In William Shakespeare’s Hamlet and Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman each of their two main characters, Hamlet and Wily Loman, are put up to this question, but in each situation their so-called madness differs in the cause of them. The ways in which their madness affects their lives is proven by three actions. These actions are neglecting their responsibilities, negatively influencing others, and finally distracting themselves. It is really never determined whether or not Hamlet and Willy are really mad, but there is some good details that reflect it. Both characters were once respectable, yet now they are neglecting responsibilities that they have. Hamlet, we first learn, is an intelligent student. Now by the end of the play he neglects to do what he is supposed to. The first thing he should have done is avenge his father’s death by killing Claudius. He has many chances in which he could, but doesn’t do it. Is he maybe questioning the the validity of the ghost or is his conscious getting to him. Then he starts losing track of what he should do and when he does do things he doesn’t care whether or not it is right. For example, the killing of Polonius. He killed him without a flinch. Finally when he does realize who he killed, he shows no remorse. Shouldn’t he have? He killed his love’s father. Maybe he doesn’t have a conscious or maybe from the trauma of his father’s death he’s not thinking right anymore. Now, Willy Loman in the beginning of Death of a Salesman is shown to be “not quite there” to the readers. He cannot keep his mind on the present, he ... ... middle of paper ... ...struggle was long and finally tragic. Linda says, "A small man can be just as exhausted as a great man." Miller writes, "...this man is actually a very brave spirit who cannot settle for half but must pursue his dream of himself to the end.” Willy was so absorbed with being number one, so that’s all that mattered. And when he finally realizes that his son loves him and in a way holds him as number one, then he is content and can be at rest. By examining both Hamlet in William Shakespeare’s Hamlet and Willy Loman in Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman, you see that they are not completely mad but maybe disillusioned. There are times when they can be fine and times when the madness overtakes them. So in determining whether or not they are mad would be a difficult task. Although the causes of their madness differs, the end of both are the same.
But I am convinced that he was "…not in madness, but mad in craft." I also
portraying Wallace’s best friend and then betraying him. He realized the error of his ways
...tive outlook on things, he shows his emotional strength to handle things in an adult manner.
To summarize, Hamlet is a play that, in the end, nobody wins. Also with everyone dead at the end of the act,
her how his actions are honest and he is not pretending to grieve, but that
sorts of things that only men should have to have done. He was even going
An Exploration of the Way Shakespeare Presents Madness in Hamlet Does Shakespeare intend to present Hamlet and Ophelia as insane? This is a question which has baffled English literary critics for more than 400 years of experience in the field. There is still no definite answer, and throughout the play. There are numerous points where you stop and wonder whether Hamlet and Ophelia is sane or not. They both change dramatically from one scene.
... cannot cope with the stress. Kesey also stresses the notion that madness is a result of the society's pressure; however, in most cases labelling is done in a wrong way. Many people are perceived to be mad when in fact they act as most average people.
care to try to learn from what he has done. This showing of recklessness and non
At the end of the play the following characters are alive; Horatio, Fortinbras, and some minor characters (including Reynaldo, Bernardo, and Marcellus). The father of Fortinbras, and former King of Norway, died as he was killed by King Hamlet amidst battle over land. King Hamlet was killed by his brother Claudius, while he (King Hamlet) was taking his usual nap in his garden. During this nap, Claudius poured a vile poison in his ear and killed King Hamlet. Polonius was killed as he responds to Queen Gertrude’s cry for help during her conversation with Hamlet in her room. However, since Polonius’ presence was unbeknownst to Hamlet, as Polonius was spying on Hamlet, the prince became suspicious and killed Polonius under the misguided belief that
going wrong, he is not able to see his own faults and do anything to
In Lewis Carol’s, Alice in Wonderland, he tells of the meeting between two of his characters, Alice, and the Mad Hatter. Carol writes about the struggles the young girl Alice has with him due to the fact that he appears to be entirely crazy, though the question stands if there is some method to his madness. Playwright and actor, William Shakespeare, uses this controversial connection between real madness and loss in his play Hamlet, portrayed in his characters Hamlet, and his crazed actions towards his loved ones, in Ophelia and her reaction to the death of her father, and lastly, in his character Laertes and his quick, rash reaction to act upon his desire for revenge.
Would it be easy for him if he had to apply his own ideas to himself? I don't know. Talk
Hamlet's public persona is a facade he has created to carry out his ulterior motives. The outside world's perception of him as being mad is of his own design. Hamlet is deciding what he wants others to think about him. Polonius, a close confidant of the King, is the leading person responsible for the public's knowledge of Hamlet's madness. The idea that Hamlet is mad centers around the fact that he talks to the ghost of his dead father. He communicates with his dead father's ghost twice, in the presence of his friends and again in the presence of his mother. By being in public when talking to the ghost, the rumor of his madness is given substance.
Plus you can also add in the points that he is seeing a ghost that is saying is his father and is telling him how he was murdered. That would do a lot for driving someone insane. I have a ghost in my house and I have no idea how to deal with it and it makes me not want to stay here in the dark with it and nothing has happened to me yet, but it has happened to others. So i can have an understanding of seeing a ghost could mess someone up pretty good.