The tragic character puts on an act after he is told of his father's murder, perhaps to have something on which he can place the blame after he avenges his father's death, or perhaps it is to capture the attention of certain characters so that he may find out exactly what has gone "rotten in Denmark." ... Later, as Hamlet is speaking to Guildenstern, he makes the analogy that he is "but mad north-north-west: when the wind is southerly I know a hawk from a handsaw" (Act II, scene II, lines 408-410), again indicating that he is only shamming insanity. ... Hamlet is putting on an act, a...

• Word Count: 736
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

It is difficult to determine when a person has gone from simply acting on impulse and not thinking rationally to truly becoming "mad." ... Hamlet thought highly of his father, as a king and as a man, better than Claudius "so excellent a king; that was, to this / Hyperion to a Satyr; so loving to my mother / That he might not beteem the winds of heaven / Visit her face too roughly" (1. 2. 139-142). ... Hamlet cannot believe that his mother could so quickly fall in love with Claudius when she seemed so in love with Hamlet Senior as well. ... After Hamlet kills her father, Ophelia really loses t...

• Word Count: 1204
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School

"I am but mad north-north-west: when the wind is southerly I know a hawk from a handsaw." ... With his statement Hamlet is revealing that he is precisely planning when to be insane and grief stricken. ... Guildenstern and Rosencrantz both also believe that Hamlet has gone insane. ... While many are convinced that Hamlet has gone completely insane, Claudius, Polonius, and Gertrude are very suspicious of Hamlet and are not entirely convinced. ... After a conversation with Hamlet Polonius comments, "Though this be madness, yet there is method in"t..." ...

• Word Count: 1008
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School

This event broke Hamlet's relations with his mother. ... He no longer had the chance to talk about girls with his father, such as Ophelia. He was left with no real male role model in his life. ... He had the fresh new heart ache of Ophelia being gone and refreshed memories of his father being killed. ... Hamlet's life now at this point, is the most ruined a life can possibly wind up. ...

• Word Count: 1433
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: High School

If Hamlet had taken action at the first opportunity and killed Claudius while he was praying, Claudius" soul would have gone to Heaven. ... Hamlet's relationship with Gertrude is affected greatly by the death of King Hamlet. ... Hamlet insists that he is not but Gertrude seems not to believe him and straight after Hamlet leaves she goes to Claudius to report that Hamlet is "mad as the sea and wind when both contend which is the mightier". ... Hamlet's relationship with Ophelia is also greatly affected by his desire for revenge and his "madness". ... She tells her father of this encou...

• Word Count: 2360
• Approx Pages: 9
• Grade Level: High School