Similarly, in another scene, he is able to tell Polonius his true feelings through his guise. Upon Polonius deciding to ?take leave? of Hamlet, Hamlet replies, ?You cannot, take from me anything that I will more willingly part withal (2.2.233).? Furthermore, Hamlet uses his madness as almost an excuse, and definitely part of his apology, towards Laertes for his murdering of Polonious. Would a madman be able realize he was mad and call his actions uncontrollable?
This comes up in the situation after Hamlet has seen his father's ghost and is with Horatio and Marcellus. He, on this occasion warns them that he does "think meet to put an antic d... ... middle of paper ... ... and off at his will, being it a means for an end. This again, shows that the madness is feigned because true madness lacks method. Finally, the cleverness of his madness shows it to be feigned because he expresses his true opinions through the madness, being able to even mock others willingly, a characteristic that clearly renders his madness fake. Shakespeare lets us know that his main character is mad through all these proofs he leaves behind.
Hamlet Mad Fake and Real: The Difference In the Portrayal of Madness A very controversial topic exists in regarding to Shakespeare's Hamlet. Many of those that read Hamlet argue that Prince Hamlet was mad, his actions guided by his ill feelings and weak emotions. Had William Shakespeare been around to answer the question "Was Hamlet mad," he would most likely answer that Hamlet, the product of his imagination and creativity, was portrayed in such light as to create this controversy on purpose. However, Hamlet is perfectly sane, guided indeed by his emotions and feelings, which are, in fact, very healthy. Hamlet was not crazy, and this can be shown by the real madness of the one that he loved, or, at least, seemed to--Ophelia, whose craziness, especially in her final hours is unmistakably obvious.
There is much evidence in Shakespeare’s Hamlet that the titular character deliberately feigned fits of madness in an attempt to confuse and disorient Claudius and his cadre. His explicitly stated intention to act "strange or odd" and to "put an antic disposition on" (I. v. 170, 172) is not the only indication. The latter phrase should be taken in its context and in connection with Hamlet’s other remarks on the same topic. To his old friend, Guildenstern, he says that "his uncle-father and aunt-mother are deceived," and that he is only "mad north-north-west." (II.
Hamlet’s first soliloquy begins with, “O that this too sullied flesh would melt,” (1.2.133). This reveals that he is depressed and appalled, but does not provide any evidence of insanity. In the same act Hamlet also directly tells Horatio that he is going to “feign madness” and that if Horatio notices any strange behaviors, it is because he is putting on an act (1.5.166). In the second act of the play, Shakespeare continues to drop hints that Hamlet’s madness is deliberately feigned in order to confuse and disconcert the king and his attendants. In one instance when Hamlet speaks to Polonius, Hamlet states, “Slanders, sir; for the satirical rogue says here that old men have gray beards; that their faces wrinkled; their eyes purging thick amber and plum-tree gum” (2.2.197).
“[Hamlet] assumes madness for a special purpose, and says so when he speaks of his antic disposition” (Snider, 73). His madness is a well-acted veneer used to help avenge his father’s death. One may examine the evidence provided by the other characters to support the claim that Hamlet is mad, but the overwhelming evidence Hamlet himself provides strongly supports his sanity. Works Cited Shakespeare, William. “The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark” Literature: An Introduction to Reading and Writing.
Characters in Hamlet are intended to be affected by insanity, therefore throughout the play corrupted minds descent into madness bringing about tragic endings, sorrow-filled moments, and shameful events. Hamlet, a character from Shakespeare’s play, is portrayed as being affected by this illness. Critics state that Hamlet is truly insane. They demonstrate how Hamlet’s responses and behavior are linked to pure madness, but reasoning and constant planning are elements that Hamlet displays throughout the play. This is an indication that Hamlet is a man of awareness, so while his words and actions may indicate otherwise, Hamlet maintains both lucidity and sanity throughout the play.
However, later in the play Hamlet questions the validity of the apparition after assuming its sincerity initially. In the scene following the ghost's entrance, Hamlet's speech towards Horatio and guards is evasive as his mood swings ... ... middle of paper ... ...es the superiority and intelligence of Hamlet. Surfacely, Hamlet's supposed insanity paves the way for the plot of the tragedy. The madness also proves as a medium for comparison for other events, themes, and images in the play such as Ophelia's insanity and Laertes' real avenger role. Introspectively, Hamlet's supposed derangement allows him to question himself and supplies us with a more rounded picture of Hamlet's true character.
Hamlet then states: "How strange or odd soe'er I bear myself, As I perchance hereafter shall think meet To put an antic disposition on..." (Crowther 1:5) From this we learn that his madness is only part of his plan to kill Claudius. Only a sane man could devise such a thought-out, rational plan. Hamlet's act of feigning madness allows him to speak his mind while everyone believes it is truly out of insanity. This allows Hamlet to vent some of his true feelings in relative safety without fear of suspicion. On the other hand, Hamlet acts sane when acting insane is unnecessary.
(I, v). Hamlet also tells his mother that he is not mad, "but mad in craft." (III, iv). In addition to his confessions, Hamlet's madness only manifests itself when he is in the presence of certain characters. When Hamlet is around Polonius, Claudius, Gertrude, Ophelia, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, he behaves irrationally.