Is Hamlet Really Mad

Madness is defined as “behavior or thinking that is very foolish or dangerous,” (Merriam-Webster). Madness can severely affect someone and the people around them. Despite the seriousness that surrounds mental illnesses, they can be faked. In the tragedy Hamlet the main character, Hamlet, pretends to be mad. Hamlet underwent many stressful events like the death of his father, his mother’s quick re-marry to Hamlet’s uncle, and losing a lover which made his antic disposition so believable. However, Hamlet never displayed genuine signs of insanity nor became truly insane throughout the play. His foolish and dangerous behavior was a facade; he consciously decided to act mad. Despite his antic behavior, Hamlet was never truly mad.

When the Ghost

Hamlet intentionally put on an antic disposition to deceive Claudius. Hamlet is sane enough to act mad when around certain people but then switches back to being sane when he is around people he trusted. Hamlet says, “Here, as before, never, so help you mercy,/How strange or odd soe’er I bear myself/(As I perchance hereafter shall think meet/To put an antic disposition on),” (Shakespeare I.v.170-173). This shows that Hamlet purposefully acted insane. He was also sane enough to let certain people he trusted, like Horatio, in on his plan. When Hamlet is around Horatio he drops his antic disposition. This proves that Hamlet was not truly insane because he could switch on and off. Hamlet knew exactly what he was doing which proves his sanity. Hamlet also used Ophelia to enhance his antic disposition. He used her to further deceive Claudius. Hamlet was a very smart man who acted with a lot of thought. In an article called “Introduction to Hamlet” the author writes, “He is not incoherent or paranoid; his ferocity cannot be blamed on insanity… Hamlet is using Ophelia to further his facade of insanity,” (Mabillard “Introduction to Hamlet”). This shows that Hamlet’s “ferocity cannot be blamed on insanity.” He used his insanity to create a facade to trick Claudius. It was all a part of his plan. Furthermore, “Hamlet's madness is an act of deception, concocted to draw attention away from his suspicious activities as he tries to gather evidence against Claudius. He reveals to Horatio his deceitful plan to feign insanity,” (Mabillard “Deception in Shakespeare’s Hamlet”). This shows that Hamlet’s madness was not genuine; it was “an act of deception.” Hamlet was not insane. He “planned to feign insanity.” Hamlet thought about his every move very carefully. He did not want to make a mistake. Hamlet’s sanity allowed him to successfully devise a plan that would grant him the success he was