Madness and Insanity in Shakespeares Hamlet Essay

In Shakespeares Hamlet, there are two characters that display qualities of insanity. They are Hamlet and Ophelia. Although they both appear to be mad at times, their downfall (or supposed downfall) is quite different. Ophelias crazed characteristics show up and intensify quite rapidly, until she is ultimately led to suicide. Her madness seems definite, and it is never questioned. The insanity or sanity of the main character is an arguable question. The issue can be discussed both ways, with significant support to either theory. Certainly, Hamlet has many reasons to lead him to becoming insane, because of the pressure and emotional strain that he is suffering from. This might be enough to cause the character to become†¦show more content†¦He proclaims, Though this be madness, yet there is method int (II.ii.200-201). Although it is clear that Hamlet originally intends to purposely put on an act of being crazy, it is still questionable whether or not he truly does become as such when his problems escalate further. It may be conjured that Hamlet is deranged because of the mention of continuous appearances of his fathers ghost. It could be argued that sane people do not see ghosts. However, in the beginning of Hamlet, there were three additional witnesses of the ghost. The three witnesses are Barnardo, Marcellus, and Horatio, all men who seem to be perfectly sane otherwise. Therefore, it does not seem logical that Hamlet be considered truly mad on the basis of the fact that he sees a ghost. One scene that appears to be particularly important in the argument of Hamlets madness is the first scene in the third act. Hamlet acts very strange after Ophelia attempts to return his gifts. Previously in I.iii., Hamlets love for Ophelia was displayed through Ophelias discussions with her father and brother. In the latter meeting of the two, Hamlet harshly rejects Ophelia. This move is most likely a hoax, considering his previous declarations of love and dedication, as well as the fact that he proclaims his infinite love for Ophelia when at her grave in V.i. Perhaps Hamlet suspects that someone isShow MoreRelated Madness and Insanity in Shakespeares Hamlet - Hamlet and Insanity1908 Words   |  8 PagesHamlet and Insanity  Ã‚        Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   William Shakespeare’s supreme tragic drama Hamlet does not answer fully for many in the audience the pivotal question concerning the sanity of Hamlet – whether it is totally feigned or not. 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George Lyman Kittredge in the Introduction to The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, explains the lack of success with Hamlet’s pretended insanity, and in so doing he implies that the madness is entirely feigned and not real: The necessity for some device like the play within the play is due to the failure of Hamlet’s assumed madness to achieve its purpose. [. . .] In Shakespeare’s drama, however, Hamlet’s motive for acting the madman is obvious. We speak†¦show more content†¦Hamlet feigns madness but also shows signs of true madness) after his father’s death and his mother’s overhasty remarriage; Ophelia actually does go mad after her father’s death at the hands of Hamlet. For both, madness is a kind of freedom – a license to speak truth. Those who hear them listen carefully, expecting to find something of substance in their speech. Is it they, the audience, who make something out of nothing, or is it the mad who make something out of the nothing of ordinary experience? (90) Hamlet’s first words in the play say that Claudius is A little more than kin and less than kind, indicating a dissimilarity in values between the new king and himself – introducing into the story a psychological problem, a refusal to conform, which lays the groundwork for, or previews, the upcoming pretended madness. As the future king of Denmark, the hero is expected to maintain a good working relationship with the present king, Claudius. But this is not so. Even before the apparition of the ghost, Hamlet has a very sour relationship with his uncle and stepfather, Claudius. Hamlet’s first soliloquy deepens the psychological rift between the prince and the world at large, but especially women; it emphasizes the frailty of women – an obvious reference to hisShow MoreRelated Madness and Insanity in Shakespeares Hamlet - Hamlet and Insanity1908 Words   |  8 PagesHamlet and Insanity  Ã‚        Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   William Shakespeare’s supreme tragic drama Hamlet does not answer fully for many in the audience the pivotal question concerning the sanity of Hamlet – whether it is totally feigned or not. 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From Lady Macbeth hallucination of a bloody spot leading to her suicide, to Hamlet’s faked illness and Ophelia’s very real illness, afflictions of the mind are featured prominently in the Bard of Avalon’s many works. Still, in the Elizabethan era, understanding of mental illness was rudimentary at best, as were the methods of treating i t. During the Middle Ages and ElizabethanRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Hamlet - Conversation Enabler1332 Words   |  6 PagesConversation-Enabler In Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Ophelia is one of the most elusive characters of the play and her importance is very hard to pinpoint and has raised eyebrows for centuries. For example, the scene of her death is one that artists have depicted over and over, yet that iconic moment is merely alluded to and happens off stage. This reflects Ophelia’s character very well considering that she is often at the periphery of the action; more talked about then talked to. There are many questions