Hamlet?s scheme was clearly stated in Act 1.Scene 5. ?How strange or odd some ?er I bear myself (As I perchance hereafter shall think meet to put an antic disposition on)? It is plainly stated by Hamlet, when he was ?sane,? that he will feign ?madness? in accordance with successfully seeking revenge for his father?s death.

Many of the characters view Hamlet as ?mad? and this is shown in the way they attempt to interact with him. Polonius is a good example of this. In Act 2.Scene 2, Polonius? interaction with Hamlet, if taken out of context, could lead the reader to believe that Hamlet is mad. Polonius asks Hamlet if he knows him to which Hamlet answers, ?Excellent well. You are a fishmonger.? Looking at this statement through the eyes of Polonius, one might believe Hamlet to be quite far gone. The readers see that this is Polonius? opin

In the famous ?To be or not to be. . .? speech, Act 3. Scene 1, Hamlet is left to ponder to himself over life - asking whether it is nobler to fight or suffer, if to die is to sleep and to dream. It is strange that in this scene, Hamlet switches immediately from deep pondering to his feigned persona precisely when Ophelia enters. The phrase, ?Soft you now. .? is the transition from his true self into his madness as it is an exclamation of interruption. In the interaction between Ophelia and Hamlet, he denies ever giving Ophelia the claimed ?remembrances.? He plays a very convincing role of someone who has lost his mind throughout this scene. He says in one line, ?I did love you once.? Then soon after follows another line, ?You should not have believed me, I loved you not.? Ophelia is quite convinced of his madness and pities him as she says, ?Heavenly powers, restore him!?

However, through dramatic irony, the audience is able to see Hamlet chastising Polonius without him even realizing it, thus creating a humorous scene. By calling Polonius a fishmonger, Hamlet is using superior wit to mock Polonius. This whole scene is quite ironic because, although Polonius believes he has the ?upper-hand? or higher intelligence, in actuality Hamlet is playing him like a fiddle.

Further along in Act 3. Scene 2, is the cloud scene in which Hamlet has a little fun with Polonius, yet again. Hamlet states that he sees various shapes in a cloud to which Polonius agrees. Hamlet is making a fool out of Polonius who is agreeing with Hamlet because he fears triggering the temper of someone who is ?mad.? Although at first glance Hamlet may seem to be a bit out of his mind by the way he sees such a variety of animals in one cloud, it should be noticed that, as always, he has his wits about him. He says, aside, ?They fool me to the top of my bent. - I will come by and by.? This statement shows that Hamlet is not a fool, he knows that the others have something up their sleeves.

One example of these ?traps? is the scene in the queen?s bedroom with Polonius hiding behind the arras. Polonius had positioned himself there with the intent to protect Gertrude from the ?mad? and unpredictable Hamlet. However, this backfires when Hamlet slays Polonius through the arras detecting a ?rat.? Polonius? own little attempt to ambush Hamlet backfired enormously on him.

Hamlet is very quick witted which he shows in speaking with his mother in Act 3. Scene 4. With each scolding she gives him he quickly retorts it back to her with ?an idle tongue.? Again, through his superior wit he is able to play with his mother, just as he so often has done with Polonius. He is very intelligent and far from mad. The irony of all of this is the fact that the characters all seem to believe that he is so far gone he doesn?t know what he saying. The truth of the matter is, he is making them look like fools and fall

Some topics in this essay:
Scene3 Hamlet, Lord Hamlet, Prince Hamlet, Hamlet Hamlet, Hamlet Act, Hamlet Rosencrantz, King Hamlet, Polonius Hamlet, Polonius Act, Polonius Ophelia, hamlet mad, act 3, act 2scene, 3 scene, act 3 scene, scene 2, act 2scene 1, fathers death, audience able, hamlets madness, play hamlet, 2scene 1, 3 scene 2, dramatic irony audience, act 2scene 2,