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RachelMelton

WasHamletReallyInsane?
10/28/2013

Whatwouldyoudoifyoususpectedthatyourfatherhadbeenmurdered?Hamlet,atragedy
writtenbyWilliamShakespeare,isatalethathaslastedasaclassicforcenturies,andisstillperhaps
oneofthemorefamousofShakespearesworks.Hamletistoldbyhisfathersghostthathisfatherwas
murdered,andHamletthenassumesastrangenewpersonality,causingcharactersintheplaytobelieve
thatheisinsane.Thisassumptioniswellfoundedontheirpart,asHamletsbehaviorissomewhatoutof
theordinary.However,IbelievethatHamletisnotinsane,butisinsteadputtingonaverygoodact
whichheplaystoperfection.
Firstofall,Hamletwarnshisfriendsthathemightstartactingdifferently.Afterseeingtheghost
ofhisfather,HamlettellsHoratioandMarcellusnottothinkstrangelyofanythingthatHamletmightdo
aftertheirmeeting.Butcome/Here,asbefore,never,sohelpyoumercy,/Howstrangeorodd
soe'erIbearmyself,/AsI,perchance,hereaftershallthinkmeet/Toputananticdispositionon,/
Thatyou,atsuchtimesseeingme,nevershall,/Witharmsencumber'dthus,orthisheadshake,/Orby
pronouncingofsomedoubtfulphrase,/As'Well,well,weknow'or'Wecould,anifwewould'/
Or'Ifwelisttospeak'or'Therebe,aniftheymight'/Orsuchambiguousgivingout,tonote/That
youknowaughtofme:thisisnottodo,ThisimpliesthatHamletsbehaviourwouldbedeparting
fromnormal,andthathisfriendsarenottospeakofwhattheyknowabouthim.Ashewarnedthem,
Hamletdoesputananticdispositiononwhichincluded,butwasnotlimitedtohisbeingrudetohis
mother,theQueen,andhisclaimthatheneverlovedOphelia.
Second,Hamletexperiencesboutsoflogicalthinkinginthemidstofhissupposedinsanity.
WhenHamletistalkingwithHoratio,hisloyalfriend,Hamletsspeechandthoughtsaregenerally

logical.HamletasksHoratioforhelpinwatchinghisunclescountenanceasthekingseesaplaythatis
essentiallyareplayofthekingsactofmurder.HetellsHoratio,Givehimheedfulnote/ForImine
eyeswillrivettohisface/And,after,wewillbothourjudgmentsjoin/Incensureofhisseeming.This
islogicalthinkingonHamletspart,asheisbringinginasecondopinionasawitnesstobackhimup.If
Hamletwasinsane,hemightnothavehadthepresenceofmindtoworkoutminutedetailsofhisplan,
normighthehaveaskedsomeoneelsetohelphimprovehistheory.
Third,themainargumentforHamletsinsanitycomesfromwhathesaysinthepresenceofthe
verypeoplewhomhewantstomakebelievethatheisinsane.Afterall,ifthekingsuspectsthatHamlet
knowsofhisfathersmurder,Hamletslifemightbeindanger.Maskinghisknowledgewithinsanityis
alogicalchoiceforHamlet.Suchphrasesas,Thebodyiswiththeking,butthekingisnotwiththe
bodyandAmanmayfishwiththewormthathatheatofaking,andeatofthefishthathathfedofthat
wormmakeiteasytoseewhysomeofthecharactersthinkheisinsane.Whenhetalkstothequeen,
thewomanwhomarriedthekillerofherhusband,Hamletactsinsane.WhenhetalkstoOphelia,the
daughterofaloyalsupporterofthenewking,Hamletactsinsane.WhenhetalkstoOpheliasfather,
Polonius,Hamletactsinsane.Hamletcannotaffordtoletanyofthesepeopleknowthatheknowswhat
hadreallyhappenedtohisfather.Hisactofinsanitykeepshimsaferthanheotherwisemighthavebeen
bygivinghimtheappearanceofbeingaharmlessmadman.
Ratherthanhisbeinginsane,IthinkthatHamletissimplyaverygoodactorputtingonaplayof
hisowninwhichheportrayshischaracterperfectly.Hamletwarnedhisfriendsthathewouldact
strangely.Hisinsanitywasinterruptedwithboutsoflogicalthinking,andheactedinsanetothosewhom
hecouldnottrust!ToinsistthatHamletisreallyinsaneistodisbelievehisabilitytoactsowellthathe
coulddeceivethekingandhisfollowers.Hamletknewthatthekinghadmurderedhisfather.Hamlet

sawthismanoftenaroundthecourt.ThekillerofHamletsfatherremarriedHamletsmotherandwas
livingaprosperouslife.Withthemostpowerfulmaninthelandbeingamurderer,itisonlytobe
expectedthatHamlettaketheresponsibilityhimselfofdisposingofhisfatherskiller.Ibelievethat
Hamlettookaverywellthoughtoutandlogicalcourseofeventsthatiswithinthenormalrangeofa
sanemind.Hamletchoosesanoptionthatisavailabletohim,(inhiscase,theactofinsanity)doingvery
littledifferentlythanyouorImightdoinhissituation.

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