Macbeth Vs Hamlet Research Paper
Glenn Ruitenbeek
Steve Smith
Shakespeare in Focus
14-03-2014
Madness is for the sane
The Oxford English Dictionary defines insanity as “the state of being seriously mentally ill”, not every ‘insane’ person acts and thinks the same. Signs of guilt, suicidal tendencies, psychopathic behavior, no sense of reality, and so on may be seen as (a sign of) insanity. The behavioral patters of characters and the relationships between them are two major ways of proving whether or not a certain character has gone mad. Why Shakespeare explores various motives behind insanity and its various manifestations within many of his plays, two of which are Hamlet and Macbeth, is explained by his fascination of the works of the human mind. Shakespeare devised the characterization of Hamlet and Macbeth himself in such a way, that he was able to investigate and show the nature of insanity and its many forms.
In one of Shakespeare’s classics, Hamlet, the bard molds Hamlet’s character in such a way everything can be said in favor of and against the claim that Hamlet is …show more content…
He young protagonist show his trust in Horatio when he says: "Horatio, thou art e 'en as just a man / As e 'er my conversation coped withal" (3.2.46-47). In this instance, Hamlet demonstrates to be able to thing logically. Further on, he speaks with very rational thoughts as he tells Horatio to "[o]bserve mine uncle. If his occulted guilt / Do not itself unkennel in one speech, / It is a damnèd ghost that we have seen, / And my imaginations are as foul / As Vulcan 's stithy" (3.2.73-77). Hamlet, then, only seems to change his behavioral pattern on the surface so that others, people he does not at all trust or like, will think his madness is driven by a particular motive. By doing so, he ensures that he is free to act irrationally and express his true opinions about anyone, without there being any consequences for
Steve Smith
Shakespeare in Focus
14-03-2014
Madness is for the sane
The Oxford English Dictionary defines insanity as “the state of being seriously mentally ill”, not every ‘insane’ person acts and thinks the same. Signs of guilt, suicidal tendencies, psychopathic behavior, no sense of reality, and so on may be seen as (a sign of) insanity. The behavioral patters of characters and the relationships between them are two major ways of proving whether or not a certain character has gone mad. Why Shakespeare explores various motives behind insanity and its various manifestations within many of his plays, two of which are Hamlet and Macbeth, is explained by his fascination of the works of the human mind. Shakespeare devised the characterization of Hamlet and Macbeth himself in such a way, that he was able to investigate and show the nature of insanity and its many forms.
In one of Shakespeare’s classics, Hamlet, the bard molds Hamlet’s character in such a way everything can be said in favor of and against the claim that Hamlet is …show more content…
He young protagonist show his trust in Horatio when he says: "Horatio, thou art e 'en as just a man / As e 'er my conversation coped withal" (3.2.46-47). In this instance, Hamlet demonstrates to be able to thing logically. Further on, he speaks with very rational thoughts as he tells Horatio to "[o]bserve mine uncle. If his occulted guilt / Do not itself unkennel in one speech, / It is a damnèd ghost that we have seen, / And my imaginations are as foul / As Vulcan 's stithy" (3.2.73-77). Hamlet, then, only seems to change his behavioral pattern on the surface so that others, people he does not at all trust or like, will think his madness is driven by a particular motive. By doing so, he ensures that he is free to act irrationally and express his true opinions about anyone, without there being any consequences for