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Antic Disposition in Shakespeare's Hamlet

            Sometimes it's hard to tell madness from sanity, and often, the two overlap. William Shakespeare's play, "Hamlet," is a prime literary example of this concept. After being asked by his father's ghost to avenge his death, Hamlet decides to put on an antic disposition. Certain questions arise after this. What is he hoping to accomplish by acting mad? Also, how can we tell the difference between his antic mask and his real madness? Hamlet's questionable state of mind can be explored throughout the play using his actions and the reactions of those around him who bear witnesses to his madness.
             In order to put on an antic disposition," (Shakespeare 1625) Hamlet's decision to act mad seems a bit strange after reading Hamlet and seeing how it ended. In the end it seems as if acting crazy did not help him kill his uncle Claudius any faster. In fact it may have slowed him down. If he really wanted to kill Claudius in the beginning he would have just done it, so he probably did not want to do it in the beginning. He probably thought that it would distract and confuse his family from his plot to kill Claudius, but on a deeper level of conscience he was using this as an excuse to not kill Claudius. He wasn't yet ready to kill Claudius. If he was ready this would be an unmemorable one act play. .
             The meeting of the ghost of Hamlet's father might be the first time someone would think that hamlet is possibly crazy when he sees the ghost, but there are others who see the ghost before him and he sees the ghost with others present. So, the ghost may have been real, but something else could have occurred. The possibility exists that Hamlet could have imagine the conversation of his friends seeing a ghost and wanting to come and get him. He could have also imagined the conversation with the ghost as well. The meeting of the ghost with his friends is not mentioned throughout the rest of the play, so his friends in real life might not even know that Hamlet thinks he saw a ghost.


Essays Related to Antic Disposition in Shakespeare's Hamlet

1. Hamlet - "Antic-Disposition"

In one of the best written and classical plays by Shakespeare Hamlet, is Hamlet really mad? ... However, he assumes antic-disposition to undercover the truth of his father's death. ... It is puzzling that Hamlet is comfortable with his antic disposition at this point but not with the role that he said he would play earlier. ... He assumes antic-disposition only to undercover the truth and events relating to the death of his father. ... Shakespeare, William. ...

  • Word Count: 1433
  • Approx Pages: 6
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2. Hamlet

The character Hamlet in Shakespeare's Hamlet may be considered eccentric at least, insane or deranged at worst. ... While Hamlet never loses his ability to reason, his "antic disposition- causes him to become foolishly extravagant, to which no purpose is served. ... Every important character in the play mentions at some time that he is mad, and indeed, Shakespeare provides an oft-overlooked symbol to this effect, saying his antic disposition is not quite as "antic- as he intended. ... This is Hamlet's hidden voice, and the fact that Shakespeare allowed no one else to view this ap...

  • Word Count: 1168
  • Approx Pages: 5
  • Grade Level: High School

3. Kenneth Branagh's Hamlet

William Shakespeare wrote Hamlet in 1602. ... The focus of the plot is on the young Prince of Denmark, who suffers from an "antic disposition,"" or madness, after the realization that his uncle Claudius has murdered his father and usurped the throne. ... Branagh's film version of Hamlet contributed to the play's understanding of Hamlet's "antic disposition- by its portrayal of Old Hamlet's Ghost, the famous "to be or not to be- soliloquy, the love scenes between Hamlet and Ophelia, the confessional scene, and the play within the play. ... Accordingly, Hamlet's pain tha...

  • Word Count: 1039
  • Approx Pages: 4
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4. Hamlet

In William Shakespeare's play, Hamlet, we meet an interesting character named Hamlet. ... This, among other events, is believed to drive him insane, but Hamlet is merely acting out an "antic disposition" for his plot to get revenge on his Uncle Claudius. ... There are many times in the play that Hamlet acted perfectly sane and announced his "antic disposition" to people. Hamlet's "antic disposition" begins when the ghost of his father tells him about how he was murdered by Claudius and to avenge his death. ... Through out William Shakespeare's play, "Hamlet," Hamlet thinks up a ...

  • Word Count: 1177
  • Approx Pages: 5
  • Grade Level: High School

5. Hamlet sane or insane

On the other hand Shakespeare illustrates Hamlet as a sane person whenever he is with a non-guilty party. ... Was't Hamlet wronged Laertes? Never Hamlet. ... Here, as strange or odd some"er I bear myself (As I perchance hereafter shall thick meet to put an antic disposition on) that you, at such times seeing me, never shall, with arms encumbered thus, or this headshake, or by pronouncing of some doubtful phrase, as "Well, well, we know," or "We could an if we would," or "If we list to speak," or "There be an if they might," or such ambiguous giving-out, to note that you know aught of me-t...

  • Word Count: 795
  • Approx Pages: 3
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6. Concepts of Corruption in Hamlet

In Shakespeare's Hamlet, the theme of corruption and decay is a recurring theme that is explored through the use of time and place. ... Shakespeare uses the timing of Claudius' abrupt immoral marriage to Gertrude to create corruption within Hamlet. ... Shakespeare's uses a progressive timeline and Hamlet's madness to identify corruption within Hamlet as a character. ... Shakespeare uses an antic disposition in Hamlet to explore the realities of the corrupted place around him, a technique that attempts to prove the claims of corruption by the Ghost as Johnson affirms, "...

  • Word Count: 782
  • Approx Pages: 3
  • Grade Level: Undergraduate

7. Hamlets Madness

The idea of feigning madness is also apparent throughout Shakespeare's Hamlet. ... However, some time passes before Hamlet is "mad." In fact, before he even begins showing signs of madness, he says to his friend Horatio "As I perchance hereafter shall think meet to put an antic disposition on" (Act I, scene V, lines 166-167). ... Hamlet only performs his act for certain characters, though. ... In the third Act, Hamlet is set up to confront Ophelia, and promptly displays an antic disposition. ...

  • Word Count: 736
  • Approx Pages: 3
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8. Hamlet And Insanity

These words, however, prove that beneath his "antic disposition,"" Hamlet is very sane indeed. ... He confides to Horatio that when he finds the occasion appropriate, he will "put an antic disposition on- (1.5.172). Mark Van Doren poins out in his book "Shakespeare,"" that Hamlet's "antic disposition- is used "as a device for seeming mad- (162). ... Traversi in his "An Approach to Shakespeare,"" points out that "Hamlet's concern with action, upon which his dilemma is finally concentrated, is most fully developed, immediately after his confrontation with his mother- (358). ... As he e...

  • Word Count: 1834
  • Approx Pages: 7
  • Has Bibliography
  • Grade Level: High School

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