How Does Hamlet Concocted Insanity

After reading your post, I can see you have a firm grasp on Hamlet and the scenes in the play where he feigns madness. You used the same three scene I used to illustrate the effectiveness of Hamlet’s concocted insanity. In 1.5, before he even divulges his plans to his two friends, Horatio notes, “these are but wild and whirling words, my lord” (136). This indicates that Hamlet had already started getting into character by acting to people who knew him well. I also used 2.1 as an example of Hamlet’s method acting. Even though the audience doesn’t get to participate in the scene firsthand, we hear Ophelia explain to her father Polonius that Hamlet might be “mad for thy love (85). This is a perfect example of Hamlet rehearsing his insanity when he comes into her room “as if he had been loosèd out of hell/ to speak of horrors—he comes before me (83-84). You brought up an interesting question about 3.4 which was why Queen Gertrude can’t see the ghost of her dead husband, Hamlet Sr. My theory to this question is that Hamlet has not yet come to terms with his fathers’ death but Gertrude has. By Hamlet being able to see his dead father, it’s a sign that he is still mourning for him and that he can’t let go

He appears to Hamlet in 3.4 because he has not yet fulfilled his request. Hamlet acknowledges this by saying, “do you not come your tardy son to chide, that, lapsed in time and passion, lets go by/ the important acting of your dread command” (108-110). The ghost also made it very clear early on that he didn’t want Hamlet to involve Queen Gertrude in any way. Instead, the ghost said to “leave her to heaven/ and to those thorns that in her bosom lodge/ to prick and sting her (I, v, 86-88). And in 3.4, the ghost once again tells Hamlet to, “step between her and her fighting soul. Conceit in weakest bodies strongest works” (III, iv,