Treachery And Madness In Hamlet
Thy Mind Be Sullied With Madness
Curtains open to a tale of madness, murder and treachery in Hamlet by William Shakespeare. The madness begins when the late King Hamlet visits his past subjects and son in Elsinore castle to warn them of his brother’s treachery. The ghost tells Hamlet “So art thou to revenge, when thou shalt hear” ( Hamlet: I.v.12) explaining that he must pursue revenge and kill Claudius, for he is the wrightful heir. However, the ghost continues saying “But, howsoever thou pursuest this act, Taint not thy mind, nor let thy soul contrive Against thy mother aught: Leave her to heaven” (Hamlet: I.v.92). Revealing that if Hamlet allows his anger to control him, it will surely be his downfall. However immediately after the encounter …show more content…
with his father, Hamlet puts on facade madness so that he may be left alone to compose a plan to deal with Claudius. This act of madness not only roots his downfall, but is also the first ingredient in the poison that sickens the court of Elsinore, tainting minds as the madness spreads.
Hamlet’s antic disposition being an attempt to be left alone by the court, sews the seeds of derangement when he visits Ophelia in her closet. Frightened, she immediately runs to her father to explain what has happened so that he may offer solace. She tells him “My lord, as I was sewing in my closet, Lord Hamlet, with his doublet all unbraced, No hat upon his head, his stockings fouled,...To speak of horrors-he comes before me (Hamlet: II.i.87-94). Explaining that he came her bedroom almost completely naked terrified her. This begins the spread of the infectious lunacy to the court, however Polonius, after exchanging words with Hamlet, says “Though this be madness, yet there is Method in’t” (Hamlet: II.ii.223). He believes that there is more to Hamlet’s eccentricity than meets the eye. More madness ensues when play is presented to the court, as Hamlet attempts to expose Claudius’s plot to court.
Hamlet says before arranging a play to be put on for the court “The play’s the thing Wherein I’ll catch the conscience of the King” (Hamlet: II.ii.633-634).
He plots in the hope that it will cause Claudius to admit to his crimes as the plot of the play juxtaposes the murder. The treachery and espionage deepens after the play when Hamlet seeks council with his mother, to figure what is truly amiss, Polonius hides behind the curtain in the queen’s closet. With Hamlet’s entry, he angrily confronts his mother and when she is threatened, Polonius speaks up only to be slain. While still yelling at his mother, the ghost of his father manifests to remind him that he is not to harm her. Hamlet being the only one able to see and talk to the ghost, causes Gertrude to become more frightened and yell “This is the very coinage of your brain” (Hamlet: III.iv.157). She believing that he son his in a state of dementia, is afraid that he may kill her as well. He reaffirms his sanity to her explaining that he is not mad, but has a plan and is using the lunacy as a facade to seek vengeance against Claudius. However, Polonius’s death triggers a wave of hysteria that affects the mental state of the entire court and also prompts the return of
Laertes.
With Laertes’s return, the maddening sickness reaches the heart of Elsinore. Laertes arrives anger by his father’s death only to be greeted by his sister Ophelia’s decaying mental state. Saddened by this development, he blames Hamlet and reveals his resolve “To cut his throat i’ th’ church” (Hamlet: IV.vii.144). Meaning that he is not afraid of going to hell, as long as he can kill Hamlet. Shortly after, they discover that Ophelia is dead and Laertes’s rage intensifies. When Hamlet returns, Laertes challenges him to a duel so that they may settle things. In preparation for the duel, Hamlet says to Horatio “The readiness is all (Hamlet: V.ii.237). Hamlet is finally ready to end it all and set things right. The aftermath of the duel leaves all dead except for Horatio, everyone affected by the madness lies dead and Fortinbras become the new king of Denmark.
The tale of Hamlet could have ended much differently if Hamlet hadn’t donned a mask of madness. If he had been more forthright with his actions, he may of succeeded and claimed vengeance against Claudius and ultimately became king
Curtains open to a tale of madness, murder and treachery in Hamlet by William Shakespeare. The madness begins when the late King Hamlet visits his past subjects and son in Elsinore castle to warn them of his brother’s treachery. The ghost tells Hamlet “So art thou to revenge, when thou shalt hear” ( Hamlet: I.v.12) explaining that he must pursue revenge and kill Claudius, for he is the wrightful heir. However, the ghost continues saying “But, howsoever thou pursuest this act, Taint not thy mind, nor let thy soul contrive Against thy mother aught: Leave her to heaven” (Hamlet: I.v.92). Revealing that if Hamlet allows his anger to control him, it will surely be his downfall. However immediately after the encounter …show more content…
with his father, Hamlet puts on facade madness so that he may be left alone to compose a plan to deal with Claudius. This act of madness not only roots his downfall, but is also the first ingredient in the poison that sickens the court of Elsinore, tainting minds as the madness spreads.
Hamlet’s antic disposition being an attempt to be left alone by the court, sews the seeds of derangement when he visits Ophelia in her closet. Frightened, she immediately runs to her father to explain what has happened so that he may offer solace. She tells him “My lord, as I was sewing in my closet, Lord Hamlet, with his doublet all unbraced, No hat upon his head, his stockings fouled,...To speak of horrors-he comes before me (Hamlet: II.i.87-94). Explaining that he came her bedroom almost completely naked terrified her. This begins the spread of the infectious lunacy to the court, however Polonius, after exchanging words with Hamlet, says “Though this be madness, yet there is Method in’t” (Hamlet: II.ii.223). He believes that there is more to Hamlet’s eccentricity than meets the eye. More madness ensues when play is presented to the court, as Hamlet attempts to expose Claudius’s plot to court.
Hamlet says before arranging a play to be put on for the court “The play’s the thing Wherein I’ll catch the conscience of the King” (Hamlet: II.ii.633-634).
He plots in the hope that it will cause Claudius to admit to his crimes as the plot of the play juxtaposes the murder. The treachery and espionage deepens after the play when Hamlet seeks council with his mother, to figure what is truly amiss, Polonius hides behind the curtain in the queen’s closet. With Hamlet’s entry, he angrily confronts his mother and when she is threatened, Polonius speaks up only to be slain. While still yelling at his mother, the ghost of his father manifests to remind him that he is not to harm her. Hamlet being the only one able to see and talk to the ghost, causes Gertrude to become more frightened and yell “This is the very coinage of your brain” (Hamlet: III.iv.157). She believing that he son his in a state of dementia, is afraid that he may kill her as well. He reaffirms his sanity to her explaining that he is not mad, but has a plan and is using the lunacy as a facade to seek vengeance against Claudius. However, Polonius’s death triggers a wave of hysteria that affects the mental state of the entire court and also prompts the return of
Laertes.
With Laertes’s return, the maddening sickness reaches the heart of Elsinore. Laertes arrives anger by his father’s death only to be greeted by his sister Ophelia’s decaying mental state. Saddened by this development, he blames Hamlet and reveals his resolve “To cut his throat i’ th’ church” (Hamlet: IV.vii.144). Meaning that he is not afraid of going to hell, as long as he can kill Hamlet. Shortly after, they discover that Ophelia is dead and Laertes’s rage intensifies. When Hamlet returns, Laertes challenges him to a duel so that they may settle things. In preparation for the duel, Hamlet says to Horatio “The readiness is all (Hamlet: V.ii.237). Hamlet is finally ready to end it all and set things right. The aftermath of the duel leaves all dead except for Horatio, everyone affected by the madness lies dead and Fortinbras become the new king of Denmark.
The tale of Hamlet could have ended much differently if Hamlet hadn’t donned a mask of madness. If he had been more forthright with his actions, he may of succeeded and claimed vengeance against Claudius and ultimately became king