Hamlet's Insanity Essay

Much has been written about Hamlet's insanity. While some believe Hamlet is truly insane, others believe his act is simply a ruse to manipulate those around him. In this essay, I'll argue that Hamlet isn't insane, but rather uses his alleged insanity to achieve his pretensions. It's worth noting how numerous times Hamlet admits to pretending insanity. In Act I, Scene V, for illustration, Hamlet informs his mates that he plans to" put an antic disposition on" and appear to be insane to avoid dubitation and gain information about his father's death. latterly, in Act III, Scene II, he informs Ophelia that "I essentially am not in madness, but mad in craft" and advises her not to trust his "wild and whirling words.", Hamlet uses internal reasoning

likewise, numerous of Hamlet's alleged symptoms of insanity can be interpreted as the result of grief, wrathfulness, and confusion. His numerous soliloquies, for illustration, which are constantly cited as evidence of his insanity, might also be regarded as a means of recycling his feelings and making sense of his dilemma. "There's a divinity that shapes our ends, rough-hew them how we will." (Act V, Scene 2, Lines 10- 11, William Shakespeare, Hamlet). Hamlet is conscious of an advanced power impacting his acts, which indicates that he's not insane. demonstrating his internal stability. While the play contains substantiation that Hamlet is insane, we can prove that Hamlet is only proclaiming to be mad to ruffle his uncle’s feathers. As Hamlet exclaims, "though this be madness, yet there is method in't" ( William Shakespeare, Hamlet, Act II, Scene II). Hamlet's conduct constantly appears to be too purposeful and premeditated to be the outgrowth of factual insanity. His sophisticated plot to emplace a troop of actors to renew his father's murder in front of his uncle, Claudius, for illustration, demonstrates a degree of logic and strategic study that would be insolvable to achieve in a condition of factual

While some, like Polonius, believe he's truly insane, others, like Horatio, fete that his conduct is part of a larger plan. “What if it (Hamlet's madness) tempts you toward the flood tide, my lord, Or to the dreadful peak of the precipice That beetles o'er his base into the ocean, And there assume some other horrible form/ Which might deprive your sovereignty of reason And draw you into madness?" Horatio asks (Act I, Scene II of William Shakespeare's Hamlet). This textbook implies that indeed those who believe in Hamlet's insanity must admit that Hamlet was only willing to go detect the ghost because his closest and most devoted friend informed him it was genuine. Showing that Hamlet is relying on his trust rather than his insanity. The fact that Hamlet has intervals of clarity and logic throughout the play demonstrates his sanity. In Act II, Scene 2, he tells Rosencrantz and Guildenstern that he is "but mad north-north-west." "When the wind blows south, I can tell a hawk from a handsaw," he says. This means that he is aware of his mental state and can distinguish between reality and fantasy. The expression "I know a hawk from a handsaw" refers to the ability to discern between two items that are similar but not identical. This shows Hamlet's capacity to think logically and rationally even while he is