Hamlet Madness Analysis

Hamlet is regarded as one of Shakespeare’s best plays. Most critics would go as far to say that it is even one of the greatest works of literature from the seventeenth century. One of the many reasons Hamlet is so highly acclaimed is due to its controversial/ambiguous conflicts. For example: Throughout the play, Hamlet characters struggle to understand whether Prince Hamlet suffers from insanity or not. “Though this be madness, yet there is method in’t” (2.2.195-196). This quote shows that although Polonius thinks Prince Hamlet is crazy, he also feels he is quick-witted. During this time period, people were not educated on the matters of mental health. Present day, where people are educated on such matters, Hamlet is clearly suffering from
Whenever Ophelia gives Hamlet’s letters back, Hamlet says, “You should have not believed me, for virtue cannot so inoculate our old stock but we shall relish of it. I loved you not,” (3.1.119-121). This quote is Hamlet telling Ophelia that he never even loved her. However, whenever Laertes hops into Ophelia’s grave, Hamlet creates a scene at the funeral by spitting, “I loved Ophelia. Forty thousand brothers could not with all their quantity of love make up my sum. What wilt thou do for her” (5.1.248-250). How does one go from not loving someone at all to loving them more than their own family members do? Hamlet is insane because his emotions change much more drastically than normal functioning
After talking to his father’s ghost, the prince swears revenge against his uncle/new father for murdering his biological father. The ghost even tells him not to harm anyone else, and that Claudius was the only one who needed to die. Even though the ghost directly told prince Hamlet not to hurt other people, Hamlet kills Polonius. “How now! A rat” (3.4.22). Even if Hamlet thought Polonius was Claudius, a sane person would check behind the arras to be sure it was Claudius. Also, Prince Hamlet kills Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. When he realizes Claudius’ letter to England is to have him killed, Hamlet changes it to say “Without debatement further, more or less, he should the bearers put to sudden death, not shriving time allowed” (5.2.48-50). Although Rosencrantz and Guildenstern were helping Claudius against Hamlet, both servants were completely out of the picture (sailing to England). Also, both servants were only following the king’s orders (who most likely would have killed them if they refused to help). No sane person would go out of their way to kill people completely out of the