Introduction
The Tragedy of Hamlet is one of William Shakespeare’s oldest but most memorable plays of all his work. In this proficiently written play, Hamlet, the King’s son, is a sad protagonist who plays his character so well that the audience thinks he is insane. The root cause of Hamlet’s insane character is the death of his father, the King of Denmark.
Hamlet learns about the death of his father after returning from school. What drives him mad is that Claudius, the main suspect in his father’s death, married his mother, Gertrude, and took over the King’s throne (Shakespeare). From a logical point of view, there is a clear motive for Claudius killing the King, Hamlet’s father. This logical reason drives Hamlet into a mission of revenge that he relentlessly pursues throughout the play. This paper proves that Hamlet is merely acting insane in the play and does not slip into insanity.
Revenge Mission
As the play’s main protagonist, Hamlet’s role throughout the play shows that he is angry about his father’s death and is on a revenge mission against Claudius. Hamlet plays as a madman because of the events that unfolded after his father’s death (Shakespeare). Shakespeare advertently portrays Hamlet as insane because death caused by a relative could cause anyone to go insane. While on his quest for revenge, Hamlet emerges as an intellectual and moral being. He plans to find out the truth before killing his uncle Claudius (Shakespeare).
Hamlet uses erratic scenes to convince people that he is insane to execute his revenge mission. In Act I Scene V, Hamlet tells Horatio that he will feign madness (Shakespeare). His words here justify that he did not go insane but instead had it planned. The incredibly insane scenes like that where he shouts at his mother, Gertrude, in the chambers are only meant to convince the other characters that he is indeed insane. Exaggerated insanity served to justify the injustice against his mother while also getting him ahead with his revenge mission.
Shows Moral Judgment
Another reason that proves that Hamlet is merely playing his character is the fact that he exhibits sane judgment in some scenes throughout the plot. From the onset of the plot, there is an apparent reason why Hamlet should behave remarkably. As Claudius states in Act III, Hamlet’s actions “do not appear to stem from madness” (Shakespeare). This statement implies that with more discerning judgment, one would notice Hamlet’s actions are intentional.
However, his character oscillates between mania episodes, reasonable action, and rational decision-making. Had he gone insane, he would have maintained irrationality and poor decision-making throughout the play. One of the instances where Hamlet demonstrates that he is sane is when he has the opportunity to kill Claudius. Hamlet could have killed Claudius at this moment, but he remembers that this would mean Claudius’ soul would be in a good place. He, therefore, decides not to kill him. This incident depicts a voice of reason that Hamlet would not have had if he had gone insane in the play.
Only Acts Insane Around Some Characters
Hamlet’s insane character or reality is challenged by the fact that he is only insane around selected characters. One of the characters around whom Hamlet is constantly insane is Claudius. Hamlet needs to intensify his insanity around Claudius to unearth the truth and get revenge on him. In Act III, Hamlet tells his mother he is mad at the craft (Shakespeare). While he acts insane before his mother in most scenes, like in the outburst, he has no ill intentions against his mother. The fact that he can still recognize the bond between him and his mother to the extent of telling her about insanity convinces the audience that Hamlet is not insane.
In sharp contrast, Hamlet never acts extremely around his friends Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. He remains friendly to them during interactions but switches to extreme insanity while around Claudius. Hamlet demonstrates sane behavior when he explains his emotions. He tells his friends that all he sees in life now is suffering (Shakespeare). He further states that what stops people from killing themselves is the fear of the unknown. This incident alone paints Hamlet as sane and with the mental capacity to have coherent chains of thought and expression.
Conclusion
Hamlet’s character remains highly controversial because of how excellently he plays the insane role. As the play’s protagonist, being insane and dramatic helps to evoke potent emotions of sympathy due to the loss of his father. He also effectively plays the role of insanity to illustrate the gravity of his mental agony about Claudius’s actions.
Hamlet also plays a pivotal role in shaping the themes of morality, action vs inaction, family relationships, and internal conflicts. Hamlet’s character comes out so strongly, and it is evident why readers would think that he is insane in reality. However, the character changes, and inconsistent behavior around some characters prove that he is only acting but not insane.
Work Cited
Shakespeare, William. The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark. MIT.