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Juxtaposition In Hamlet

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The Consequence of Acting Mad How can it be possible that Hamlet denies that he ever loved Ophelia, and then claims that he loves her in her grave? In William Shakespeares’ Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, Hamlet experiences the stress of overthinking a situation, and it causes him to act mad and harm the relationships closest to him. Throughout the play, Hamlet acts mad to make his presence known and get information to kill Claudius. As a result of acting mad throughout the play, Hamlet treats other characters poorly. Hamlet proves himself throughout the play to be smart with his actions, especially when he writes a portion of the play called The Mouse Trap. When Hamlet acts crazy, it is for a purpose, perhaps to hide his plans to kill Claudius. …show more content…

“For murder,though it have no tongue, will speak/ With most miraculous organ: I’ll have these players/ Play something like the murder of my father/ Before mine uncle. I'll observe his looks,/ I’ll tent him to the quick, if a’ do blench/ I know my course. The spirit that I have seen/ May be a devil hath power/ T’assume a pleasing shape.” (2.2.568-575). In these lines, Hamlet realizes that the figure shaped like his father could be a devil leading him astray. By making this plan, Hamlet can prove that he is speaking to an honest ghost and Claudius killed his father. A truly mad person would not have been able to formulate an intricate plan like this. There are many lines in the play where Hamlet is smart with his words in a way that a truly mad person would not be able to achieve. Hamlet plays with his words in conversation with Polonius: HAMLET. Words, words, words of words.

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