The character Hamlet in Shakespeare's Hamlet may be considered eccentric at least, insane or deranged at worst. While Hamlet is assuredly a man of ineffable wit and infallible intent, his mental foundation is made of sand; he is "very foolish, impractical, extravagant; senseless,"" as Webster's dictionary defines "Insane."" While Hamlet never loses his ability to reason, his "antic disposition- causes him to become foolishly extravagant, to which no purpose is served. His show of insanity is far too convincing. 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. .
The first character to notice Hamlet's insanity is Polonius, Ophelia's father, who accosts Claudius and Gertrude, saying their "noble son is mad."" (89) Polonius first suspects this when he intercepts a love letter intended for Ophelia, and contemplates why such a highborn individual such as he would take an interest in one so lowly as Ophelia. Presently, Polonius concludes that Hamlet is mad with love and anguish over his father's death; anon he concludes Hamlet is well along the path into love-madness ""And he, repelled (a short tale to make), fell into a sadness, then into a fast, thence to a watch, thence to a weakness, thence to lightness, and, by this declension, into the madness wherein now he raves, and all we mourn for."" (91) In dialogue with Hamlet, Polonius observes that Hamlet converses with "a happiness that often madness hits on, which reason could not so prosperously be delivered of."" (97) In seeing Hamlet speak so irrationally happy to him, Polonius concludes that Hamlet may be insane with love for his daughter, and indeed, Ophelia concurs. .
Ophelia must be one of the most mistreated individuals in the play. The man who loves her treats her as a slanderous whore, no better than a prostitute, after sending her a note saying "doubt thou the stars are fire, doubt that the sun doth move, doubt truth to be a liar, but never doubt I love.
Hamlet Hamlet is a young man who's father dies and his life is turned upside down. ... Hamlet is battling his conscience. ... Hamlet is extremely indecisive. ... Hamlet wants to kill his uncle because he killed hamlets father. ... Hamlet only trusts Horatio. ...
The old king Hamlet is murder by Claudius and therefore Hamlet must take his revenge. ... Hamlet begins to doubt the ghost. ... Hamlet is contradicts himself. ... Hamlet's next problem is that of morality. ... Hamlet's flaw of irresolution, the uncertainty on how to act or proceed, is shown when Hamlet sees a play and the passion the actors had, after Hamlet's third soliloquy, in Hamlet's fourth soliloquy, and in Hamlet's indecisive pursuit in avenging his father's death. ...
Hamlet In the play Hamlet, written by William Shakespeare, Hamlet never loses his sanity, in his plan to feign madness. ... It is after this statement that Hamlet begins to act mad. ... Guildenstern asks Hamlet what he means by this and Hamlet professes he is "" . . . but mad north-north-west. ... Polonius believe he [Hamlet] was mad. ... In a conversation, Gertrude questions Hamlet's sanity. ...
Hamlet In the play Hamlet, written by William Shakespeare, Hamlet never loses his sanity, in his plan to feign madness. ... It is after this statement that Hamlet begins to act mad. ... Guildenstern asks Hamlet what he means by this and Hamlet professes he is "" . . . but mad north-north-west. ... Polonius believe he [Hamlet] was mad. ... In a conversation, Gertrude questions Hamlet's sanity. ...
Laertes is a mirror to Hamlet. ... Laertes is decisive and Hamlet is not. ... Fortinbras acts as Hamlet's inspiration; he motivates Hamlet to go forward with his plan to kill Claudius, which in the end leads to Hamlet's downfall. ... Horatio is Hamlet's friend and solid rock on whom Hamlet can trust and depend. ... Horatio cared for Hamlet greatly, and so Hamlet cared greatly for Horatio. ...
KING Now, Hamlet, where's Polonius? HAMLET At supper. ... If Claudius does not stand on one side of a titanic conflict, his betrayal of Hamlet's father and Marriage to Hamlet's mother, do ignite one: Hamlet's conflict with himself. ... In the end Hamlet dies along with most of the principle characters whether they were duplicities against Hamlet or not. ... By the end of the play Hamlet has thoroughly explored the question but like Hamlet, it remains an enigma. ...
Hamlet The study of Shakespeare's Hamlet has been one that is very extensive as well as enormous. ... A critic of Hamlet once said, "a man set out to read all the books about Hamlet would have time to read nothing else, not even Hamlet." ... "Hamlet is the tragedy of reflection. ... For where Hamlet saw that "the time is out of joint," Hamlet himself was "out of joint." ... (Mack. 64) Hamlet begins his questioning with the death of elder Hamlet. ...
Hamlet 1 Throughout Hamlet, Hamlet expresses his thoughts via several soliloquies. ... In this scene, Hamlet is being "set up" by Ophelia, Polonius, and Claudius. ... This is quite different than the "emotional Hamlet" seen in 1.2, or the "vengeful Hamlet" seen in 1.5. ... The three claim to be concerned for Hamlet's mental state of mind. This is ironic, because as the characters within the play see Hamlet mentally deteriorating, readers see Hamlet mentally developing. ...
Hamlet Tania Kozie-Slobodzian Hamlet is categorized as one of Shakespeare's tragedies. ... Horatio a friend of Hamlet tells Hamlet that he is afraid because he thinks he has seen a ghost who resembles the late King. ... The Ghost of Hamlet's father appears in front of Hamlet. The ghost is in fact Hamlet's late father. ... Now that Hamlet is said to be crazy, Polonius goes to the King and tells him about Hamlet's strange behavior concerning Ophelia. ...
