Why Is Hamlet Insane

“Great wits are sure to madness near allied, and thin partitions do their bounds divide.” Although John Dryden’s quote was not created in regards to Williams Shakespeare Hamlet, it relates to the argument as to whether or not Hamlet is insane. A theme that is commonly debated in Shakespearean literature is the interpretation of Hamlet’s character. The most fascinating aspect is the status of Hamlet’s sanity throughout the play. Hamlet plays a tragic hero who is very complex. He faces inner struggle following his father’s death. Adding to his struggle, he witnesses his mother’s remarriage to Claudius, and his father’s ghost appears asking for vengeance. While these hardships may have driven him to a point of insanity, I anticipate this is

Some may even say that Hamlet pretends to be insane in order to survive in and live among those around him. This is so he could investigate the ghosts accusations about Claudius killing the King, and do so without raising suspicion that he knows the truth of his father’s death. As supported by The Journal of Speculative Philosophy, when it states “He took a mask to conceal his own designs, to discover the secrets of the King and to deceive the court, and particularly Polonius, the sharp-scented detective, who was sure to be placed upon his track” (Snider 73). Hamlet’s goal was to uncover the truth and not give away hints that he was looking closely in Claudius and his actions in relation to the death of his father. Hamlet knew that by acting “insane” everyone around him would believe that was mad. For instance Hamlet’s conversation with Ophelia: “Get thee to a nunnery. Why wouldst thou be a breeder of sinners? I am myself indifferent honest, but yet I could accuse me of such things that it were better my mother had not borne me” (III,i,121-124). In this scene Hamlet is crazed due to his mothers quick remarriage and her lack of shame towards who new incestuous relationship with Claudius. Which Hamlet didn’t take a liking to. The remarriage resulted in his lash out towards Ophelia due to him not wanting anymore sinners born into

His ultimate goal as shown in the play Hamlet wasn’t to just kill off Claudius, it was to expose him for what he was done and to allow for others to know the truth. But Hamlet knew that by doing so he had to have a divergent to cover his plan. This is supported by The Journal of Philosophy, the writer states “If Hamlet was really mad, his psychosis was that of an intellectual, a hypertrophy of that inner eye whose function it is to perceive meanings, relations and implications;” (Davis 630). As depicted by this quote Hamlet was aware of what was going on around him, although those around him believe that he was mad. While everyone saw Hamlet actions as madness Hamlet saw his actions as a facade, which allowed for those who spied on him to see only what he wanted them see. It is also stated in the journal, “Hamlet is constantly aware of his own mental processes. More than that, he is aware that he is constantly watching them. He is in the position of the professional philosopher who criticizes his thoughts while he is thinking them-and confesses it when he reasons in his great soliloquy,” (Davis 631). This shows that Hamlet knew that those around had a very close eye on him and everything that he was doing. Therefore he needed them to see what he wanted them to see, and by doing so Hamlet was deemed mad and inturned caused for Claudius and Polonius to watch him closely and used