Insanity In Hamlet By William Shakespeare

One of Shakespeare’s most famous plays, Hamlet, revolves around the Prince of Denmark and whether his madness is genuine. One of the key themes in the play is Hamlet's "madness". After his father, King Hamlet, died and his mother, Gertrude, remarried his uncle, King Claudius, shortly after, he suffered from depression and became a melancholic character in the play. After discovering the truth about his father's murder, he feigns his madness in order to convict King Claudius of his father's killing and seek revenge for his father. However, Hamlet's antic disposition was so convincing to those around him that they believed he was genuinely insane. Despite the convincing portrayal of Hamlet's madness, he is just acting mad in order to get revenge.

However, as the play unfolds, Hamlet is seen grieving for his father and is deeply touched by his loss. His mother Gertrude on the other hand appears to be less devastated by his father’s death than Hamlet. She notices his grief at his father’s death and said, “Good Hamlet, cast thy nightly color off, and let thine eye look like a friend on Denmark. do not for ever with thy vailed lids seek for thy noble father in the dust. Thou know'st 'tis common: all that lives must die, passing through nature to eternity. " (Hamlet 1.2.68-73) Hamlet was irritated by what she said and thought his mother looked unconcerned about his father’s death as much as he was when she told him he couldn’t keep mourning his father’s death and called his death common and said no one lives forever and everyone dies in the end. In an aggressive tone, Hamlet responds, “Seems, madam! nay, it is! I know not 'seems. ' 'tis not alone my inky cloak, good mother, nor customary suits of solemn black, nor windy suspiration of forced breath, no, nor the fruitful river in the eye, nor the dejected 'havior of the visage, together with all forms, moods, shows of grief, that can denote me truly. these indeed seem, for they are actions that a man might play. But I have that within which passes show. These but the trappings and the suits of woe." (Hamlet 1.2.76-86) Hamlet is arguing with his mother that his father's death was not a common thing and that he cannot just forget about his

For example, in Act 3 Scene 4, Hamlet informs his mother, "Mother, you have my father much offended" (Hamlet 3.4.8-10) This sentence implies that Hamlet is informing his mother that she has insulted his father, King Hamlet, by marrying his uncle, the murderer, King Claudius. Shortly later, Hamlet murders Polonius by stabbing him behind the curtains. Many people who knew Hamlet, including his mother, believed he had gone insane after killing Polonius. However, it can be argued that Hamlet's insanity is a combination of both manufactured and true insanity, which is why he killed Polonius. His genuine side includes his melancholy state as a result of his life's struggles, such as his father's death, his mother's marriage, and his uncle taking the throne. These circumstances may have contributed to Hamlet's insanity. His use of tactical madness to manipulate others around him shows that he is using this tactic to feign