How Did Hamlet Really Lead To Hamlet's Madness?
Abigail Clapp 5 November 2013 English Block H Hamlet Essay
In the play Hamlet by William Shakespeare, the madness of prince Hamlet is shown throughout the play. Hamlet had many contributions to his madness. After the death of Hamlets father the play changed dramatically. Claudius, Gertrude, and Ophelia are all contributing characters that initially lead to Hamlets madness. Claudius has become Hamlets new father after his dad was murdered. Little did Hamlet know that his father was murdered by his own brother. When the ghost of king Hamlet returned Hamlet found out how his father was murdered, and by whom he was murdered. Hamlet is angry, and confused. Claudius is one of the main causes to Hamlets madness because if he hadn’t killed king Hamlet …show more content…
the play would be completely different. After seeing the ghost Hamlet doesn’t know what to believe he says “The spirit that I have seen May be the devil: and the devil hath power To assume a pleasing shape; yea, and perhaps Out of my weakness and my melancholy, As he is very potent with such spirits, Abuses me to damn me” (2.2.58) This quote by Hamlet shows the affect Claudius had on the madness of Hamlet. Hamlet pretends to be mad after figuring out who killed his father, which is instigated by Claudius. Claudius is the cause to all down fall in the play. Gertrude is also another character that influences Hamlets madness through out the play. Gertrude married her dead husbands brother, which is a cause to Hamlets madness from the start. Gertrude doesn’t act like she ever loved King Hamlet, which angers Hamlet as well. Hamlet explains in this quote how much the marriage has affected him. He says, “A little month, or ere those shoes were old, With which she follow'd my poor father's body, Like Niobe, all tears:--why she, even she-- O, God! a beast, that wants discourse of reason, Would have mourn'd longer--married with my uncle, My father's brother, but no more like my father Than I to Hercules” (1.2.6) Hamlet doesn’t understand why his mother is acting like she never loved her husband. After his father died he was devastated, but then he finds out his mother married his father’s brother, and this created huge tension. Hamlet wants to kill himself after finding out all this traumatizing news. Gertrude was a factor to Hamlets madness by marrying Claudius. Gertrude also was always taking Claudius’s side instead of Hamlets, which angered him even more. Polonius is another character that contributes to Hamlets madness.
Polonius was the father to Ophelia, who was the love of Hamlets life. Ophelia was very immature, and her father Polonius was extremely protective of her. Polonius told Ophelia “would not, in plain terms, from this time forth, Have you so slander any moment leisure, As to give words or talk with the Lord Hamlet. Look to't, I charge you: come your ways.” (1.4.8) Ophelia obeys her father, and ignores Hamlet. Polonius always believed in Hamlets madness, and he used it against him. Polonius would use Hamlets madness to get him into trouble, and also keep him away from Ophelia. Ophelia refuses to see Hamlet, and gives him no reason for it. This is a contribution to Hamlets madness. Hamlet was so in love with Ophelia, and when he couldn’t see her it made him insane. Hamlet was already dealing with a lot in his life, and Polonius just created more tension by keeping the two away from each other. Polonius contributed to hamlets madness by making Ophelia believe Hamlet was truly mad, and keeping them apart. Hamlet eventually killed Polonius by accident when he was spying on his conversation with
Gertrude.
In conclusion, Hamlet’s madness was not self-caused. Claudius initially set off the madness of Hamlet, and created the mood for the play. If Claudius had never killed king Hamlet the play would have been entirely different. Polonius wouldn’t have died if Claudius didn’t kill the king as well. Hamlets madness was a big part of the play. Gertrude, Claudius, and Polonius all contributed to the madness in different ways through out the play. Without the madness of Hamlet there wouldn’t even be a play to read.
In the play Hamlet by William Shakespeare, the madness of prince Hamlet is shown throughout the play. Hamlet had many contributions to his madness. After the death of Hamlets father the play changed dramatically. Claudius, Gertrude, and Ophelia are all contributing characters that initially lead to Hamlets madness. Claudius has become Hamlets new father after his dad was murdered. Little did Hamlet know that his father was murdered by his own brother. When the ghost of king Hamlet returned Hamlet found out how his father was murdered, and by whom he was murdered. Hamlet is angry, and confused. Claudius is one of the main causes to Hamlets madness because if he hadn’t killed king Hamlet …show more content…
the play would be completely different. After seeing the ghost Hamlet doesn’t know what to believe he says “The spirit that I have seen May be the devil: and the devil hath power To assume a pleasing shape; yea, and perhaps Out of my weakness and my melancholy, As he is very potent with such spirits, Abuses me to damn me” (2.2.58) This quote by Hamlet shows the affect Claudius had on the madness of Hamlet. Hamlet pretends to be mad after figuring out who killed his father, which is instigated by Claudius. Claudius is the cause to all down fall in the play. Gertrude is also another character that influences Hamlets madness through out the play. Gertrude married her dead husbands brother, which is a cause to Hamlets madness from the start. Gertrude doesn’t act like she ever loved King Hamlet, which angers Hamlet as well. Hamlet explains in this quote how much the marriage has affected him. He says, “A little month, or ere those shoes were old, With which she follow'd my poor father's body, Like Niobe, all tears:--why she, even she-- O, God! a beast, that wants discourse of reason, Would have mourn'd longer--married with my uncle, My father's brother, but no more like my father Than I to Hercules” (1.2.6) Hamlet doesn’t understand why his mother is acting like she never loved her husband. After his father died he was devastated, but then he finds out his mother married his father’s brother, and this created huge tension. Hamlet wants to kill himself after finding out all this traumatizing news. Gertrude was a factor to Hamlets madness by marrying Claudius. Gertrude also was always taking Claudius’s side instead of Hamlets, which angered him even more. Polonius is another character that contributes to Hamlets madness.
Polonius was the father to Ophelia, who was the love of Hamlets life. Ophelia was very immature, and her father Polonius was extremely protective of her. Polonius told Ophelia “would not, in plain terms, from this time forth, Have you so slander any moment leisure, As to give words or talk with the Lord Hamlet. Look to't, I charge you: come your ways.” (1.4.8) Ophelia obeys her father, and ignores Hamlet. Polonius always believed in Hamlets madness, and he used it against him. Polonius would use Hamlets madness to get him into trouble, and also keep him away from Ophelia. Ophelia refuses to see Hamlet, and gives him no reason for it. This is a contribution to Hamlets madness. Hamlet was so in love with Ophelia, and when he couldn’t see her it made him insane. Hamlet was already dealing with a lot in his life, and Polonius just created more tension by keeping the two away from each other. Polonius contributed to hamlets madness by making Ophelia believe Hamlet was truly mad, and keeping them apart. Hamlet eventually killed Polonius by accident when he was spying on his conversation with
Gertrude.
In conclusion, Hamlet’s madness was not self-caused. Claudius initially set off the madness of Hamlet, and created the mood for the play. If Claudius had never killed king Hamlet the play would have been entirely different. Polonius wouldn’t have died if Claudius didn’t kill the king as well. Hamlets madness was a big part of the play. Gertrude, Claudius, and Polonius all contributed to the madness in different ways through out the play. Without the madness of Hamlet there wouldn’t even be a play to read.