how does shakespeare present the idea of madness in hamlet?

How does Shakespeare present the idea of madness in Hamlet? Many times, it is easy for people to judge just by the first impression. Society can judge and create stereotypes of everything just by the way they look. Writers such as Homer, in the Odyssey and Virgil in the Aeneid, where really obvious with the themes and how the characters behaved throughout the story. They believed in destiny and thought any path would take the character to fulfill it. Shakespeare was a great writer, he was able to create plays that used psychology principles in them. Shakespeare was able to put his emotions into the character of the stories he wrote. Shakespeare used irony and other tools to make the reader hesitant of the roles the characters have in the plays. In “Hamlet” the theme of madness is presented into the readers through its main character, Hamlet. Is Hamlet really mad?, or is he just trying to be unnoticed by the other characters in the play?, Shakespeare has a way of making the readers uncertain of the real plans of the main character. Shakespeare also uses its main character “madness” to tell the audience about the different kinds of madness that can be seen throught the play, he is also able to talk about the different themes by letting Hamlet introduce them while he is in his madness state.

As the play begins, Shakespeare quickly uses his great skills to present the idea of madness.
BERNARDO: Who 's there?
FRANCISCO: Nay, answer me: stand, and unfold yourself. BERNARDO: Long live the king!
FRANCISCO: Bernardo?
BERNARDO: He. (I. i. 1-5)

By Bernardo being worried and asking “who’s there?” (I. i. 1), Shakespeare creates uncertainty in the readers, he creates a sense of the unknown. By going back in history to the time where Shakespeare wrote this play, there was a struggle between Norway and Denmark. As people were reading they could have imagined the noises represented an invasion from Norway.
With the help of the first scene in the book, the audience is now ready to see a turn of events that will lead Hamlet to appear as mad. In act 1 scene 2, the Queen and the King of Denmark are trying to convince Hamlet not to be depressed over his father’s death. Many things happened and Hamlet is not able to assimilate them yet, his father just died and his mom married his father’s brother. He does not understand how his mother and his uncle cannot respect the memory of his father. Hamlet wants to leave Denmark to avoid seeing all this. He then gets “convinced “to stay and on the next scene we can see about what he is really thinking.
HAMLET
O, that this too, too sullied flesh would melt,
Thaw, and resolve itself into a dew,
Or that the Everlasting had not fixed
His canon ’gainst self-slaughter! O God, God,
How weary, stale, flat, and unprofitable
Seem to me all the uses of this world!
Fie on ’t, ah fie! ’Tis an unweeded garden
That grows to seed. Things rank and gross in nature
Possess it merely. That it should come to this:
But two months dead—nay, not so much, not two.
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. Heaven and Earth,
Must I remember? Why, shewould hang on him
As if increase of appetite had grown
By what it fed on. And yet, within a month
(…)’’ (I. ii. 133-163)

Is Hamlet talking to himself? In this first soliloquy, Shakespeare is representing madness as Hamlet is having suicidal thoughts. Hamlet feels as if he had no purpose of being alive, he sees his life as being pointless. Hamlet feels that no one understands him and does not have anybody to talk to. All Hamlet’s feelings, memories and plans are trapped in his mind and he will not be able to tell anyone about them. In the last line of the soliloquy, Hamlet says: ” But break, my heart, for I must hold my tongue”(I.ii. 164), Hamlet knows that eventually if he is not able to get out all the anger he is feeling, he will eventually grow insane because of not being able to talk to anyone. What is hurting Hamlet the most is the incest situation that Shakespeare put into the story. This will eventually lead the story into a tragedy occasioned by madness. As the plot develops, a ghost starts appearing to Bernardo and Marcellus during their midnight guards, they are hesitant to tell Hamlet since it is the ghost of Hamlet’s father and they do not know if it is real. At the beginning the readers can think that it was just an illusion of Bernardo and Marcellus, but as Horatio also sees the ghost we can now get an idea that the ghost is real.
Enter Ghost.
MARCELLUS
Peace, break thee off! Look where it comes again. BERNARDO In the same figure like the King that’s dead. MARCELLUS,to Horatio art a scholar. Speak to it, Horatio.
BERNARDO
Looks he not like the King? Mark it, Horatio.
HORATIO
Most like. It harrows me with fear and wonder.
BERNARDO
It would be spoke to.
MARCELLUS
Speak to it, Horatio.
HORATIO
What art thou that usurp’st this time of night,
Together with that fair and warlike form
In which the majesty of buried Denmark
Did sometimes march? By heaven, I charge thee, speak. (I. i. 40-60)
Hamlet is then notified by his friends and goes to meet the ghost later on. This makes Hamlet to feel be very disturbed, anxious and confused again; he is ready to talk to his father and to see what is it that he wants to tell him. After waiting all day it is already midnight and the ghost appears again.
HAMLET Why, what should be the fear?
I do not set my life at a pin’s fee.
And for my soul, what can it do to that,
Being a thing immortal as itself?
It waves me forth again. I’ll follow it.(I. IV.72-76)

Hamlet decides to follow the ghost, he believes that it is his destiny to see what his father wants. By following his father’s ghost he finally gets apart from everyone and has time to talk to his father alone.

GHOST My hour is almost come
When I to sulf’rous and tormenting flames
Must render up myself. (…)
GHOST I am thy father’s spirit,
Doomed for a certain term to walk the night
And for the day confined to fast in fires (…)
GHOST
Revenge his foul and most unnatural murder.
HAMLET Murder?
GHOST
Murder most foul, as in the best it is,
But this most foul, strange, and unnatural.
HAMLET
Haste me to know ’t, that I, with wings as swift
As meditation or the thoughts of love,
May sweep to my revenge.
GHOST I find thee apt;
And duller shouldst thou be than the fat weed
That roots itself in ease on Lethe wharf,
Wouldst thou not stir in this. Now, Hamlet, hear.
’Tis given out that, sleeping in my orchard,
A serpent stung me. So the whole ear of Denmark
Is by a forgèd process of my death
Rankly abused. But know, thou noble youth,
The serpent that did sting thy father’s life
Now wears his crown.(I. V. 5-48)

As Hamlet is finally told what he wanted to hear, his anger towards his uncle grows even more. The ghost tells Hamlet that his brother Claudius now King of Denmark, poisoned him to take away his throne. Not only did he take Hamlet’s father crown but is also doing incest with his mother. The ghost is really angry because of all the situation and asks Hamlet for revenge. Hamlet wanted this revenge also, so he agrees to help the soul of his father seek revenge. While reading this part of the book I can see madness in Hamlet, is the ghost real? Or is it part of his imagination? Maybe the ghost was created by Shakespeare to represent the deepest thoughts of Hamlet. By being really depressed and angry in the beginning, Hamlet knew something was wrong with his father’s death and an idea of revenge could have suddenly come to Hamlet.
HAMLET
Yes, by Saint Patrick, (…)
For your desire to know what is between us,
O’ermaster ’t as you may. And now, good friends,
As you are friends, scholars, and soldiers,
Give me one poor request.
HORATIO What is ’t, my lord? We will.
HAMLET
Never make known what you have seen tonight.
HORATIO/MARCELLUS My lord, we will not.
HAMLET Nay, but swear ’t.
HORATIO In faith, my lord, not I.
MARCELLUS Nor I, my lord, in faith.
HAMLET
Upon my sword. (…)(I. V. 153-165)

After talking with the ghost of his father, Bernardo, Horatio and Marcellus are finally able to find Hamlet. Bernardo, Horatio and Marcellus were really curious to know what the ghost had told Hamlet, as Hamlet had promise his father to seek revenge, Hamlet knew it was not smart to tell anyone about his secret and about what he was planning. Not only did he not tell any of them about what he had just found out, but instead made them swear about keeping the ghost as a secret.

HAMLET
And therefore as a stranger give it welcome.
There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio,
Than are dreamt of in your philosophy. But come.
Here, as before, never, so help you mercy,
How strange or odd some’er I bear myself
(As I perchance hereafter shall think 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—this do swear,
So grace and mercy at your most need help you (I.V.186-195)

This part of the scene is really important, Hamlet tells Bernardo, Horatio and Marcellus that he is going to “put an antic disposition on”, by this meaning that he will start behaving odd, fantastic, sometimes frivolous as if he was crazy. The audience can see that Hamlet is in reality also a great actor. Although Hamlet is truly going insane because he cannot tell anybody about his feelings, he still manages to keep secrets and to make a good actuation to complete his master plan. Horatio and the guards swear to never talk about the ghost, they also promise to never get worried about Hamlet’s behavior since he is going to try to look as a fool to enter the high levels of the court and get closer to his uncle. At this point the readers can see that Hamlet’s attitude and character has changed completely; from being confused and depressed, now he is angrier, cautious, and wants revenge at all cost.

Early in scene 2, Hamlet goes to visit Ophelia. Ophelia had a transformation in her character also, since her brother and father told her to be careful with Hamlet, she has been ignoring Hamlet and returning all the letter he sends her. As scene 2 begins Hamlet makes an unusual visit to Ophelia, let’s remember that Hamlet’s antic disposition has begun. As explained by Ophelia to Polonius:
OPHELIA
O, my lord, my lord, I have been so affrighted!
POLONIUS With what, i’ th’ name of God?
OPHELIA
My lord, as I was sewing in my closet,
Lord Hamlet, with his doublet all unbraced,
No hat upon his head, his stockings fouled,
Ungartered, and down-gyvèd to his ankle,
Pale as his shirt, his knees knocking each other,
And with a look so piteous in purport
As if he had been loosèd out of hell
To speak of horrors—he comes before me.
POLONIUS
Mad for thy love?
OPHELIA My lord, I do not know,
But truly I do fear it. (II. 1. 85-95)

It was a good way for Hamlet to begin his plan. He has heard what Polonius told Ophelia about keeping distance with Hamlet, so he used that to begin acting as if he had gone crazy because his love is not being corresponded by Ophelia. Hamlet knows that eventually Polonius will go to Claudius to tell him. Since Claudius has also notice the change in behavior of Hamlet, he decides to call on court members Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern both grew up with Hamlet and Claudius thinks that they would be able to help him. Polonius is not going to give up on finding out the truth and decides to get closer to Hamlet, Hamlet reaction to this is to tell Polonius the following:
HAMLET For if the sun breed maggots in a dead dog, being a good kissing carrion—Have you a daughter? POLONIUS I have, my lord.
HAMLET Let her not walk i’ th’ sun. Conception is a blessing, but, as your daughter may conceive, friend, look to ’t. (II. 2. 194-203)

Is it normal for Hamlet to be disrespectful to people? He has always been respectful to people Polonius and now he is telling Polonius to be careful about Ophelia getting pregnant. Again this is an action that Hamlet does that does not seem as a normal person would do. This is another way Shakespeare shows madness in its main character while also touching the importance of respect in the play.

HAMLET (…) But my uncle-father and aunt-mother are deceived UILDENSTERN In what, my dear lord?
HAMLET I am but mad north-north-west. When the wind is southerly, I know a hawk from a handsaw.

From being mad north-north-west the reader can imply that Hamlet is only acting as if he was crazy sometimes, he knows how to difference the situations and act when he needs it for his plan. At this stage of the play it looks like Hamlet already knows how people are going to react to his madness. This makes it clear that he is going in the right path to completing his plan.
HAMLET
Ay, so, good-bye to you.
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern exit.
Now I am alone.(…) (II. 2. 575-635)

As Hamlet finds himself alone after the show, he again starts a soliloquy. He does not know any more if he is doing the right thing or if he is committing a crime. Although he know he wants avenge his father, he starts having an internal moral fight on whether he would be consider a villain by people. He also tells the audience again that he would want anyone to feel what he is feeling. He is completely going insane. He knows the difference between good and bad but is being driven by anger, revenge and depression. The time to complete the master plan is getting closer and closer, Hamlet on the other side wants more proof that what his uncle did to his father is real. He still thinks that the ghost could have not be truth.
Hamlet keeps acting as if he was mad, he is still in the antic disposition. What really caught my attention is that every time that Hamlet gets a madness moment, it is the only time we can really see how he feels and what he thinks about his life. As an example we can see one of the most famous quotes “to be or not to be” below. In this quote Hamlet tells how he would wish to go to “sleep” and not wake up. He again is considering death, but at the same time is afraid of the consequences or the afterlife.
HAMLET
To be or not to be—that is the question:
Whether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,
Or to take arms against a sea of troubles
And, by opposing, end them. To die, to sleep—
No more—and by a sleep to say we end
The heartache and the thousand natural shocks
That flesh is heir to—’tis a consummation
Devoutly to be wished. To die, to sleep—
To sleep, perchance to dream. Ay, there’s the rub,
For in that sleep of death what dreams may come,
When we have shuffled off this mortal coil,
Must give us pause. There’s the respect
That makes calamity of so long life.
For who would bear the whips and scorns of time,
Th’ oppressor’s wrong, the proud man’s contumely,

The story has a great ending, while in the beginning in the play Shakespeare made us see that the ghost was real, no in the act 3 scene 4 the mother is not able to see it or hear it. That makes me wonder, is it a product of the imagination of Hamlet? or is her mom conspiring against him? . Again Shakespeare does a great job on letting the reader have sense of uncertainty and thriller.

QUEEN To whom do you speak this?
HAMLET Do you see nothing there?
QUEEN
Nothing at all; yet all that is I see.
HAMLET Nor did you nothing hear?
QUEEN No, nothing but ourselves.(III. 4.149-153)

By taking the story to its climax, Shakespeare was able to finish the play as something tragic that involved the madness of Hamlet as the principal factor of death. Hamlet gets so mad that at the end he is not able to control his acting and ends up getting really mad and killing Polonius. The book finishes in a great way. While Hamlet kills his uncle, Hamlet also gets poisoned and her mother drinks poison that was intended to be for Hamlet. Shakespeare presented the idea of madness in Hamlet perfectly, he was able to relate madness to all themes such as incest, respect, love, depression, confusion, acting and even death. Uncertainty and supernatural occurrences played a major role on keeping the audience thrilled in the story.

Works Cited
Mack, Maynard. "Hamlet, William Shakespeare." The Norton anthology of world masterpieces. Expanded ed. New York: W.W. Norton, 199. . Print. http://www.folgerdigitaltexts.org/html/ham.html (Hamlet online book)

Cited: Mack, Maynard. "Hamlet, William Shakespeare." The Norton anthology of world masterpieces. Expanded ed. New York: W.W. Norton, 199. . Print. http://www.folgerdigitaltexts.org/html/ham.html (Hamlet online book)