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Hamlet

In William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, the main character exhibits a mysterious and ambiguous nature. The state of Hamlet’s sanity becomes a prevalent question throughout the play as contradictions in his character are revealed. In the play Hamlet faces an internal struggle brought on by the Ghost of dead King Hamlet. He must seek revenge for his father’s murder by killing Claudius. However, by taking on this responsibility, Hamlet must confront his own fears of death and the consequences of committing murder. Stemming from this battle within him are two conflicting behaviors seen in Hamlet throughout the play. One is of a calm, rational, and well-spoken man. The other is of a man consumed with madness. Hamlet’s mood shifts between the two continuously and causes one to question if he has truly become mad or if he has a well-calculated plan “To put an antic disposition on” (I, iv, 171) as he tells Horatio and Marcellus early on in the play.

The first signs of Hamlet’s possible madness come from his behavior towards Ophelia. In a conversation with Polonius she reveals to him her perception of Hamlet in his recent visit. She states that he came to her “with a look so piteous in purport, as if he had been loos

ed out of hell to speak of horrors.” (II, i, 81-83) Polonius is then convinced that Hamlet’s love for his daughter and her rejection of it has driven him to madness and is the explanation for his erratic behavior.

In another confrontation with Ophelia, Hamlet again appears to be fairly irrational. When Ophelia meets him to return his gifts, he claims, “You should not have believed me, for virtue cannot so inoculate our old stock but we shall relish of it. I loved you not.” (III, i, 115-116) However, during Ophelia’s funeral in Act V, Hamlet leaps into the grave in grief and says, “I loved Ophelia. Forty thousand brothers could not with all their quantity of love make up my sum.” (V, i, 221-223) From these two conflicting actions, one must question Hamlet’s true feelings for Ophelia. Was he merely acting mad when he claimed to have never loved her? From his show of overwhelming grief upon her death, it appears that he did indeed love her and had carefully planned to convince her otherwise. Perhaps true madness finally overtook him at her funeral and compelled him to reveal himself by jumping into her grave. (Munro, par. 2)

Who does it then? His madness. (V, ii, 199-202)

Then Hamlet does it not, Hamlet denies it.

Hamlet’s actions towards Polonius and Ophelia are two examples that Hamlet’s madness is planned. His meeting with Polonius seems to be an intentional display of insanity. He acts as if he does not know him or who his daughter is. However, this exchange with Polonius actually shows Hamlet’s clever use of words and well-spoken wit. Although Polonius leaves convinced that Hamlet is mad, he states, “Though this be madness, yet there is method in’t.” (II, ii, 218) Hamlet’s encounter with Ophelia in Act III, scene I also appears to be a planned show of madness. As

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