Theme Of Depression In Hamlet

Depression then and now
Depression and suicide are two common themes present within the following literary works: It’s kind of a funny story, and “Hamlet”. The main characters of each work Craig and hamlet- portray many of the same symptoms of depression through their actions. Although these two stories are set in very different time periods the theme of depression is relevant in both eras. Hamlet is depressed because of the passing of his father and Craig is depressed because of the stressfully competitive school he attends in Manhattan, both characters contemplate committing suicide but neither go through with the action.
The main character Craig in the book It’s kind of a funny story is a student at a prestigious school in Manhattan,
These events caused him to go into a staid depression throughout most of the play which caused him to commit many strange acts because of paranoia caused by depression. For example after talking to the ghost of his father, and figuring out that his father’s death was a murder he decides “I, with wings as swift as meditation or the thoughts of love, may sweep to my revenge” (Shakespeare 75), by putting on a performance imitating the horrible deeds done by his uncle and mother. Hamlet's depression is made clear when Claudius says “how is it that the clouds still hang on you” (Shakespeare 85). This shows that Hamlet obviously is still in an emotional state, because he looks down in the dumps due to his upsetting circumstances. The most evident symptom Hamlet showed during the play was that of a change in personality which makes sense because “those who are depressed often have little enthusiasm and usually are not interested in being with other people. Friends of the depressed feel like their original personality is gone, and doesn’t come back until they overcome depression” (Kittleson). Hamlet also discussed the thought of killing himself in his soliloquy in Act 5 which states “The question is: is it better to be alive or dead? Is it nobler to put up with all the nasty things that luck throws your way, or to fight
The main characters Hamlet and Craig show unparalleled emotions, and contain many of the common symptoms of the unrelenting disorder of depression. While they are set in two totally different time periods, both characters acted similarly, and their outlooks on life intertwined .Particularly Hamlet was more vocal about his thoughts about his feelings because he made them public in his soliloquies, while Craig tended to be more private about his depressive feelings, and didn’t make his suicidal feelings public until he called the hotline to seek help. Both books represent the harsh reality of having a mental disorder, and the unwarranted effects they can have on a person’s daily