Theme Of Madness In Shakespeare's Hamlet

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Recommended: Criticism and analysis of hamlet

William Shakespeare is well known for his tragic plays that include startling plot. Those characteristics are apparent in Shakespeare’s drama Hamlet, a tragedy filled play focuses on the life of a young prince of Denmark named Hamlet. Hamlet is a stricken with sadness upon hearing the news that his father, King Hamlet, and the sudden remarriage of his mother, Gertrude, to his paternal uncle-- brother of the dead king and now King of Denmark himself--Claudius. Hamlet, angered upon discover that King Hamlet was tragically murder, sparked motive to discover the truth and avenge his father. William Shakespeare uses the themes of revenge and madness to develop the protagonist Hamlet through his determination to find the truth about King Hamlet’s
O gentle son,
Upon the heat and flame of thy distemper
Sprinkle cool patience! Whereon do you look? (120-138)
After attempting to attack Gertrude, the ghost of King Hamlet appears, but only Prince Hamlet could see him. In lines 120-138, Gertrude believe that Hamlet is truly insane, staring off and talking to a chair. While Hamlet is confused whether the ghost of his father is only showing its self to Hamlet himself, or if the ghost is truly a figment of his imagination and has finally, and gone mad. Act III used both themes of revenge and madness with in one scene, which lead to the death of Polonius and the loss of Hamlet’s sanity. Within Act IV Hamlet was exiled to England for the death of Polonius in hopes that it was Claudius. Hamlet ends up returning to Denmark, where Laertes and Claudius has planned revenge against Prince Hamlet for the death Polonius. This act primarily focuses on the revenge of other characters, to kill Prince Hamlet. While Hamlet, Laertes and Claudius are focused on revenge, Gertrude is concerned for Hamlet’s and Ophelia’s mental wellbeing.
KING CLAUDIUS
What, Gertrude? How does Hamlet?
QUEEN GERTRUDE
Mad as the sea and wind when both

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