Was Hamlet Really Insane? Published in 1603, Hamlet was one of Shakespeare’s many tragedies that follows Prince Hamlet as he faces themes of loyalty and betrayal and love and revenge. His character allowed Shakespeare to depict a complexity of human emotions that is still significant today, as the discussion of Hamlet’s insanity remains a topic for debate. Numerous events support both theories throughout the play on whether Hamlet was genuinely insane or not, but Hamlet’s insanity truly being an act is more plausible because he stated since the beginning it was an act, planned when and where he would appear to be mad, and allowed for others to observe what underlined his insane act.
The first example that supports the theory that Hamlet was
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Furthermore, he strategically plans when to put on his act depending on who he is surrounded by. In Act 3, Scene 2, Hamlet requests that Horatio observe Claudius during the performance to find any signs of guilt. The play that the family intends to watch tells the story of a king who is betrayed by his nephew, who decides to assassinate him for the crown. The moment Claudius, Ophelia, and Gertrude arrive, Hamlet returns to his normal self. Fortunately, their plan works out well, because Claudius abruptly falls into a fit of rage after finding out the king’s nephew had killed the king in the play. Once alone, Hamlet and Horatio agree that Claudius’ reaction was telling enough. Hamlet then immediately returns to his insanity act when Guildenstern and Rosencrantz arrive to give him a message from his father. Throughout this entire scene, Hamlet demonstrates complete control over his ability to pretend and return to normal when around certain characters. He uses his abilities to his advantage to further carry out his initial revenge …show more content…
In Act 2, Scene 2, Polonius attempts to have a conversation with Hamlet but is met with lunatic replies to his questions. Yet, Polonius says to himself, “Though this be madness, yet there is method in ‘t” (Act 2, Scene 2, Lines 223-24), recognizing that though Hamlet sounds unusual, there seems to be a meaning behind what he is saying. Additionally, in Act 3, Scene 1, the King and Queen are discussing Hamlet’s behavior after he exists when the King says, “Love? His affections do not that way tend; nor what he spake, though it lacked form a little, was not like madness” (Act 3, Scene 1, Lines 177-79). Claudius admits that though his actions appear to be strange, they don’t come from madness. Both Polonius and Claudius’ observations reveal that the way Hamlet displays himself lacks normalcy, but his actions appear to have purpose and are not a result of