Hamlet is one of William Shakespeare's most famous an controversial plays. There is much debate on whether Hamlet was truly mad or not. We will first examine his inner personal struggles on coping with his father's death and the ghost he encounters. Second, we will take a look at Hamlet's relationships and interactions with his friends and lover, to determine Hamlet's sanity.
It is obvious that Hamlet is deeply grieving the death of his father, and not given enough time to mourn. In less than two months, he must deal with the fact that his mother is married to his uncle, who is of extremely close relation. He wonders whether the Queen ever truly loved his father by marrying someone so soon, and so unlike his father in greatness and respect. Hamlet states,...She married. Oh most wicked speed, to post with such dexterity to incestuous sheets! -Married with my uncle, my father's brother, but no more like my father than I to Hercules... ( 1.2.150-55). He remembers his father's love for his mother, That he might not between the winds of heaven visit her face too roughly. Heaven and earth, must I remember?... (1.2.140). Hamlet can't stop thinking of the past. He is so angry with his mother that he even implies that a beast would have mourned longer.
Later his friends explain that they have seen his father's ghost. Hamlet talks to the ghost and finds out that his father was murdered by Hamlet's uncle. Poison was poured into his ear while he was sleeping. Hamlet questions whether the ghost is good or evil, and what it's intentions are.
...The spirit that I have seen may be a devil, and the devil hath power to assume a pleasing shape, yea, and perhaps out of my weakness and melancholy, as he is very potent with such spirits, abuses me to damn me. I'll have grounds more relative to this. The plays the thing wherein I catch the conscience of the king. (3.1.525-535)
He realizes that he is emotionally unstable and can be easily fooled and taken advantage of right now. He has the actors in a play reenact the murder, and by the guilty reaction of his uncle, Hamlet has all the proof he needs to avenge his father. The idea that Hamlet needs more evidence than the statements of a ghost, shows his rationality.
The way Hamlet interacts with his lover is the most questionable when trying to figure out his sanity. He shows up in her room in unkempt clothing acting and talking oddly, enough to scare her, and want to tell the events to her father. He later tells her that he never loved her, and she should join a nunnery. During the play he flirts with her, lying his head in her lap. His odd behavior most likely comes from his conflicting feelings about her love and loyalty for him. His relationships with his friends and courtiers are pretty straight forward. The fact that his friends also see the ghost confirms that it's not Hamlet's imagination. In Denmark, he tells the two courtiers who were sent to report on him, that he knows he's acting differently. He says it's because he is in so much pain, that life and everything in it has lost its meaning. Everything is dead to him (2.2.270-80). Here, Hamlet indicates that he is completely aware of his behavior and how people are judging him.
In conclusion, Hamlet shows enough evidence to support his sanity, by being aware of his actions, and the reaction of those actions. His bizarre activity seems to be on purpose and enjoying to him. It is a way of dealing with the loss of his father, who he loves and admires so greatly, and the betrayal of his family and lover. His actions get more intense when he finds out about murder being the case, however, Hamlet finds crafty ways to get to the truth, and out whit everyone who is plotting against him.
Words Cited
Shakespeare, William. Hamlet. The Norton Introduction to Literature. 10th ed. Ed. Booth, Alison
and Kelly J. Mays. New York: Norton, 2010. (pgs. 1305-98). Print.
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