Essay on Hamlet -- Is Hamlet Sane - 782 Words

Hamlet Essay: Is Hamlet Sane With the coming of Freudian theory in the first half of this century and the subsequent emergence of psychoanalytically-oriented literary criticism in the 1960s, the question of Hamlets underlying sanity has become a major issue in the interpretation of Hamlet. While related concern with the Princes inability to take action had already directed scholarly attention toward the uncertainty of Hamlets mental state, modern psychological views of the play have challenged his sanity at a deeper, sub-conscious level, typically citing self-destructive and, most pointedly, sexual drives to explain his behavior, his words, and the mental processes beneath them. In a play with undertones of incest and heavy doses of†¦show more content†¦Moreover, Hamlet plainly does use the guise of madness toward tactical ends. He keeps Claudius, Polonius, and the other males of the play (Rosencrantz and Guildenstern) off balance, unsure of the specific threat he poses but themselves an unable to act q uickly because of it. It is under cover of madness that Hamlet presents his customized mousetrap, his play-within-a play, to successfully capture the conscience of the King. He sees through the Kings plot to have him executed in England, his innocent escorts being unaware of the threat that Hamlet poses to the King. Such deliberate acts in which the appearance of madness is used to advantage are not those of a madman. To be sure, Hamlet sees and speaks with a ghost, but the rational character of Horatio does the same. All of this suggests that Hamlet, while depressed, guilt-ridden, and raging inside, is sane. On the other hand, in his treatment of Ophelia, his former lover, Hamlet displays a cruelty that is extreme, abnormal and, in fact, psychopathological. His declaration, Get thee to a nunnery, why wouldst thou be a breeder of sinners (III, i., ll.120-121), is so vicious in its utter rejection of Ophelias tender efforts to understand him, so lewd in its punning suggestion that OpheliaShow MoreRelatedHamlet Pleads Sane650 Words   |  3 PagesHamlet Pleads Sane William Shakespeare’s play Hamlet is considered to be a great tragedy in the eyes of many. In the play, the protagonist, Hamlet, is on a quest to avenge the death of his father. At the beginning of the play, Hamlet is upset that his mother married his uncle, Claudius, only two months after his father’s death. As the story progresses, Hamlet is confronted by King Hamlet’s ghost. The ghost informs Hamlet that he was murdered by Claudius. When the ghost asks Hamlet to seekRead More The Sane Hamlet Essays1192 Words   |  5 PagesThe Sane Hamlet   Ã‚   Hamlet contains the classic argument between whether or not Hamlet is mad, or a sane man under difficult circumstances. 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If Hamlet were truly insane he would not be able to tell others that he is going to act insane as of a certain point in time. Hamlet would try to deny insanity, not pride himself in the fact that he is insane. Hamlet uses insanityRead MoreHamlet, By William Shakespeare866 Words   |  4 PagesHamlet, the son of the former King of Denmark is in a state of depression due to his father’s murder which was committed by his uncle. This is followed by the marriage of his mother and the same uncle who killed his father; this forces Hamlet into a state of misery. Upon learning that his father was murdered, Hamlet is also told by his father’s ghost to get revenge. Throughout the play, Hamlet often pretends to be insane or in a state of madness. This is all apart of how he will plan to kill is murdererRead MoreHamlet: The Irrational Prince Essay1138 Words   |  5 PagesShakespeare’s Hamlet, the Prince of Denmark, named Hamlet, is the main character that’s going to avenge is fallen father. Shakespeare makes the audience wonder if Hamlet is really mad or he is just presenting some excellent acting skills that make it seem as if he has really gone insane. We must consider if he has gone mad, could be due to the loss of his father and if he is just simply acting mad, could that be to confuse his enemies? And hide is intensions? One thing is for certain and that is Hamlet cannot