Exploring Hamlet's Insanity: Reality or Pretense?

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Grayson R. Grindstaff

Mrs. Kim Joyner

Honors English IV

07 December 2015

The Reality of Hamlet’s Insanity

The controversy of whether or not the character Hamlet, in the play “Hamlet by William

Shakespeare, is truly insane or faking is an ongoing topic that has been discussed over many years. Although Hamlet does show some evidence of psychoticism throughout the novel he also shows much evidence of being a smart and sane guy. Hamlet is not infact crazy; he is just doing what the the ghost of his father tells him to do. After the ghost appears to Prince Hamlet he tells

Hamlet he was poisoned by his Uncle Claudius and tells Hamlet to avenge his death. While

Hamlet attempts to avenge his father’s death, he shows much borderline crazy

“Never speak of this that you have seen” (Shakespeare 170). Once Hamlet realizes what Horatio has seen he quickly makes him swear to never tell of what he saw . Interpreting the few ending lines in this act you can see that Hamlet is telling Horatio that he is going to “feign madness”(Crawford). Hamlet feigns madness to

Grindstaff 2 mask his purpose and gain an advantage on Claudius to personally receive the facts from his uncle. He does this to expand his look of depression and separate himself from his family and friends so that they cannot find out his true secret. Horatio is one that hamlet opens up to usually more than others. He gives much evidence when in conversation with Horatio and deliberately tells him that he is faking madness, and when and where he has to act differently. “When completing with Horatio the arrangements of the play, and just before the entrance of the court,

Hamlet says “I must be idle” (III, ii, 85)” (Crawford). When Hamlet wanted people to see him mad then he would act mad in that current setting. When he was around friends such as Horatio he would put himself in the mind to warn Horatio of how he was fixing to act. When

“Mother, you have my father much offended”

(91). In this particular scene Hamlet is acting with rational behavior while in conversation with his mother. Although Hamlet says sarcastic statements toward his mother, this is understandable considering the situation he is in. “How now, a rat? Dead for a ducat, dead” (91). During the conflict between Hamlet and his mother, his mother yells for help thinking that Hamlet is going to murder her (91). Once Gertrude begins to yell Polonius follows in from behind the arras (91).

Hamlet stabs through the Arras not knowing who is behind it killing Polonius (91). In the sixteenth century, the time period of this story, murder was not uncommon especially when there was great conflict. It was nothing for people to draw a sword and duel in the middle of the street.

Hamlet was just following what the ghost of his father was wanting to do and that was to avenge his death.

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Hamlet’s concern for Ophelia complicates his crazy pretense. ”The breakdown of

Hamlet’s relationship with Ophelia is viewed by Polonius as one of the root causes for his increasingly bizarre behaviour” (Connor). Ophelia had a bigger impact on Hamlet than