Shakespeare/Hamlet - Essay Example

English Literature ic and Modern) 04 January, Shakespeare/HAMLET One of the most debated topics by literature scholars regarding the play “Hamlet” by Shakespeare is whether Hamlet is really mad or not. Madness is the state of mind in which rational thinking is absent and the individual does not have an awareness of what is happening around him. Madness is the quality or condition of being insane. In Shakespeare play “Hamlet”, the concept of madness is seen in the protagonist Hamlet, but the real questions remains if his madness is a real one or not. The play is a complex play and is filled with layers of hidden meaning. These meanings are illustrated through the madness of the protagonist Hamlet. It seems that the writer of the tragic play leaves it to the audience to decide for themselves whether Hamlet is truly mad or not. In many instances Hamlet’s madness can be seen as a real one even though Hamlet himself admits that he is just faking his madness. The theme of madness -both real and feigned runs throughout the play. The theme of madness plays a significant role in the conflict of the play, the development of the play as well as the characters development. When referring to madness in Hamlet, one is instantly reminded of Hamlet’s madness and the manipulation of his madness or rather his pretence madness to seek his revenge. Throughout the play, Hamlet’s madness is quite questionable as he stated that his sole intention is to act “strange or odd and also to “put an antic disposition on” Hamlet’s madness or rather his act of madness, begins with the death of his father and seeing his father’s ghost. After the ghost of his late father gives him a detail account of his death, Hamlet talks about his plan to get revenge for his father to his friends Horatio and Marcellus, "I perchance hereafter shall think meet to put an antic disposition on" (Shakespeare). When he put on his act of being a mad man, he did it intentionally to take his revenge. Hamlet is indeed depressed from the death his father and the fact that his mother remarried his uncle quickly, but he is not a mad man. His first madness is reported by Polonius, who believes that his daughter’s rejection of Hamlet made him mad. Ophelia gives the detail of how Hamlet shows up in her chamber and that he appears, “with his doublet all unbraced, No hat upon his head, his stockings fouled, Ungartered, and down-gyved to his ankle, Pale as his shirt, his knees knocking each other, And with a look so piteous in purport as if he had been loosed out of hell" (Shakespeare). Polonius reports to the king, “"Your noble son is mad" (Shakespeare). He gives details of his erratic behavior and interprets his so called madness. But, however, Hamlet’s behavior and his clever acts soon made Polonius admits to the king that, "Though this be madness, yet there is method in't." (Shakespeare). Throughout the play, the king and his henchmen have many doubts over Hamlet’s madness. Regarding his madness, Polonius remarks, "This mad young man. But so much was our love/ We would not understand what was most fit,/ but, like the owner of a foul disease" (Shakespeare). They treat his madness as a foul disease without seeing the intentions behind the madness. Hamlet confuses everyone with his madness and everyone gives their own theory regarding his madness. His mother blames it on herself, his father’s death and the quick remarriage to his uncle. Even the king could really not understand Hamlet’s madness as he instructs his henchmen to "get from him why he puts on this confusion” (Shakespeare). This statement implies that Claudius understands that Hamlet’s madness is not a real lunacy. After dealing with Hamlet for some time, he soon comes to a conclusion that Hamlet’ behavior does not indicate a real madness but merely a melancholy. Claudius points out that, "What he spake, though it lack'd form a little. Was not like madness." (Shakespeare). It can be said that Hamlet puts on the act of insanity to prove the words of the ghost. In his soliloquies he mumbles, “The spirit that I have seen May be a devil, and the devil hath power T' assume a pleasing shape" (Shakespeare). It is clear from this that he has a fear of being misled by the ghost as he does not have any other valid prove to blame Claudius. He does not have any evidence to prove that Claudius did kill his father and his hands are tied as he cannot carry out his revenge without a valid reason. He needs to put an antic disposition on to acquire evidence against Claudius as it would not be right to accuse someone wrongly and even murder someone for no apparent reasons. Therefore, Hamlets plan to act like an insane man is to level his position in order to avenge his father’s death. This false madness will allow him to unobtrusively dig out more information and prove the validity of the ghost’s words. Hamlet also knows very well that of the court deem him insane; they will be more likely to put up with his erratic behavior giving him more privileges to act however he wants without anyone being suspicious of his motive. He has so much to gain by acting mad. But, even though Hamlet’s “antic disposition” comes across as a means to an end to carry out his plan, his motive behind his act sometimes appears to be more than just discovery the truth behind his father’s murder. However, his “antic disposition” serves his needs to reveal the truth. In Act two of the play, Hamlet spends most of his time to perfect his act of insanity. It has become apparent to the readers that he has lost his conviction to complete his destiny as he spends most of his time reading and talking with Polonius, Guildenstern, and Rosencrantz. But at the end of Act two, Hamlet refers to his filial duty to avenge his father. We can see very clearly that instead of avenging his father’s death like a dutiful son, he exhibits insane behavior to carry out his plans, "I know not-lost my mirth, forgone all custom of exercises..." (Shakespeare). Then he went on to reveal that, “I am but mad north-north-west. When the wind is southerly I know a hawk from a handsaw" (Shakespeare). By admitting that he is merely faking madness, he seems to be more secure with his plot. He directed his vengeance in different ways and in Act two by a powerful speech delivered by one of his players. He then again vows to avenge his father’s death, "I should ha' fatted all the region kites with this slave's offal. Bloody, bawdy villain! O, vengeance! What an ass am I! This is most brave, that I, the son of a dear father murdered, Prompted to my revenge by heaven and hell..." (Shakespeare). It is clear from this that the sole motive of Hamlet is to gather evidence and destroys the people who were involved in murdering his beloved father. Although Hamlet decides to put on his, “antic disposition” at some point of time he seems to be losing his act. Even though he has a complete control over his insanity at first, he seems to loss control over himself as the play progress. His madness takes a complete control of his life and he pushes away everyone close to him. He fails to protect the people he loves as he is consumed with the idea of killing Claudius to avenge his father’s death. This can be used to argue the fact that Hamlet did not fake his insanity, but that he is really mad. But, this does not prove the point as Hamlet battles with his conscious throughout the play. The fact that Hamlet does not defer from the role that he is supposed to play also claims that he is not really mad. He never defer from the plan of avenging his father also further proves that his is not really mad. Hamlet even questions himself again and again about his sanity as well as his role in life, "Must like a whore unpack my heart with words and fall a-cursing, like a very drab, a scullion!” (Shakespeare 197). This also demonstrates the fact that Hamlet is in complete control of his mental health. There is no doubt that Hamlet madness was really feigned. There is so much to be gained by putting an act of disposition for Hamlet. From the beginning Hamlet’s madness is questionable as he stated that his sole intention is to act “strange or odd and also to “put an antic disposition on”. So, there never is any evidence to claim that Hamlet is really mad as he demonstrates over and over again throughout the play that his is not really mad. Work Cited Shakespeare, William. A New Variorum Edition of Shakespeare. Edt. Furness, Horace Howard. Vol. 3. 6th Edn. J. B. Lippincott & Co. 1877. Shakespeare, William. Hamlet. Monologue Archive. 2003. Read More