Schizophrenia In Hamlet

A man named Ben Jonson once said, “If you be sick, your own thoughts make you sick.” Perhaps Jonson’s words could be used to support the claim that Hamlet, one of Shakespeare’s many creations, is potentially plagued with madness in the beloved play, Hamlet. During the era in which this piece of literature was written, diseases of the mind were not as understood or as simple to diagnose; therefore, the character, Hamlet, may have had conditions that went unnoticed, and there may have never been enough evidence to prove his possible illnesses until the 20th century. Nonetheless, by analyzing and interpreting the symptoms present throughout Hamlet, it is plausible to suggest that Hamlet was mad; in today’s terms, he could have been schizophrenic,

Those with Schizophrenia may have an altered perception of reality; they may see or hear things that don’t exist, speak strangely or awkwardly, believe that others are trying to cause them harm, or feel like they’re constantly being monitored. One damning piece of evidence suggesting that Hamlet is schizophrenic lies within Scene IV where he and his mother, Gertrude, are having a discussion at the castle. Upon the entrance of King Hamlet’s ghost, Hamlet seems to see his father’s spirit and exclaims, “A king of shreds and patches! / Save me and hover o'er me with your wings, heavenly guards! / What would your gracious figure” (4.3.2500-2502)? Of course, Gertrude vocalizes that she does not see the ghost of her deceased husband. Could it be that the schizophrenically driven delusion is causing Hamlet to see apparitions that are not really

Bipolar disorder is often identifiable by aggression, false belief of superiority, mood swings, and risky behavior. Throughout the latter course of the play, Hamlet becomes obsessed with avenging his father’s death, and he even kills Polonius while planning his future attempt to assassinate King Claudius. Hamlet’s feelings for Ophelia also drastically change for the worse in comparison to the tender love he felt for her in the beginning acts. If one were to give three key ingredients for Bipolar disorder that unfortunately match Hamlet’s behavior quite well, then that individual would mention the fact that Hamlet manifests unusual talkativeness, flights of ideas, and deemingly far too much involvement in illegal or unethical activities. A prime example of Hamlet’s unusual speech is when he calls Polonius a “fishmonger.” Ultimately, although many believe that Hamlet is simply pretending to act crazy, one cannot rule out the fact that, given his circumstances with his father’s death and his past, the possibility still remains that he may be truly