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Madness In Hamlet Research Paper

762 Words4 Pages

In the play Hamlet, by William Shakespeare, the people of Denmark have just lost their king. Prince Hamlet learns news that a ghost, described as being the late King Hamlet, has been seen around the castle by several guards. After communicating with his father, he discovers that his own uncle is responsible for the death of King Hamlet and tells Hamlet to seek revenge. Hamlet decides to pretend to go insane in order to investigate his uncle without raising any suspicion. There is controversy as to whether or not Hamlet ends up truly going mad, or if it is all just an act. Madness is a significant motif in the play Hamlet because Shakespeare uses it to determine that sanity cannot be defined based on Hamlet’s actions, but rather his state of mind shows he becomes truly insane.
Hamlet’s first reaction to the news of his father was an extreme state of depression. Along with this news, he learns that his uncle, …show more content…

She desperately seeks for answers when she asks, “O gentle son, / Upon the heat and flame of thy distemper / Sprinkle cool patience! Whereon do you look? (Shakespeare 3.4.132-141). The Queen is quickly realizing the extreme level of madness that Hamlet has reached, and hopes to learn where it rooted from. This quote also has a deeper meaning to it that goes to Hamlet’s state of mind. The apparent fact that the only person that can communicate with the ghost is Hamlet, may be just a figment of his imagination. Although others have felt a spirit, the only one to actual talk with the ghost is Hamlet. These delusions that Hamlet is having is due from his true insanity. It is no longer an act, and the behavior is no longer a charade for his benefit. The goal of his facade to be crazy was in hopes of discovering the truth about his father’s death. However, the only truth that was uncovered was that Hamlet’s severe depression led to him going

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