Hamlet Essay #1

Thin Lines of Insanity

Shakespeare’s Hamlet has been kept alive for generations. It’s complexity is enticing as it depicts some of human natures darkest qualities. The key issue of the play is the sense of ‘madness’ the characters possess in the play and the actions they commit that follow. This struggle is most prominent on the main Character Hamlet who battles his madness in both a mental and physical state. We connect madness to insanity or even anger. Hamlet certainly has anger, but has he really gone mad? He walks so perilously on the wire between sanity and insanity that he eventually hits his breaking point falling back into the reality and consequences of his actions. Or perhaps that’s only what he wants you to think. Perchance he is actually beyond intelligent and it’s all part of his big elaborate plan for revenge and everyone else is just along for the ride until he attacks. To explore Hamlet’s true intentions, we must first fully understand the play through plot and it’s characters, diction and syntax, and the mental state of madness that Hamlet has been cast under. From these critical viewpoints, we are able to comprehend Hamlet’s true intentions.

Shakespeare is known for his incredible dramas and captivating tones of despair in his plays. Hamlet embodies some darker moods and tones. Death of the innocent, denied love, and revenge for wrong doings are the building blocks of the play. Because the play has a dark twist in it’s plot, the characters also take on a dark side within themselves. Hamlet has become a misunderstood icon of nothing more than a teenage boy who can’t make up his mind. On the contrary, Hamlet is far from it. Consider one of the most well known and misinterpreted Shakespeare quotes: “To be or not to be, that is the question.” This quote has stood the test of time because it can be related to everything and anything. In the sense of Hamlet however, it’s relating back to Hamlet’s decision to act on his thoughts. The quote shows Hamlet is conflicted about suicide. He is debating if death would be easier than the efforts to follow through with taking revenge for his father’s death. Hamlet is constantly viewed as some indecisive kid, when in truth he’s just conflicted with putting his words into actions. 

Towards the middle of the plat, Hamlet finally confronts his mother about her scandal with Claudius,  but things escalate rapidly leaving Polonious dead. In addition to Hamlet, Polonious is a character who often conceals his true intentions. Polonious question’s Hamlet’s madness constantly throughout the play up until his death. He has fallen into Hamlet’s plan and is fully convinced he has gone mad, but fails to see the true reason as to why. This scene is often overlooked but it’s actually one of the most important scenes of the play for so many different reasons. This the first time Hamlet takes action. He is no longer just a boy with mad thoughts because now he is acting on them. Another important detail to this scene is Poloniou’s  death. He only died because Hamelt was anticipating Claudius. Polonoius being killed heightens the stakes making Hamlet a murderer. In this same scene Hamlet comes into contact with his father’s ghost yet again, this time in front of Gertrude. A critical detail is unveiled when Gertrude is unable to see the ghost. It seems everyone can see it but her. The ghost symbolizes not a mere spirit, but Gertrude’s crime against her once husband. She can’t see the ghost because she is unable to see what she did is wrong.

Hamlet’s master plan is to create a play closely depicting how Claudius killed his father. Depending on Claudius and Gertrude’s reactions, Hamlet will be able to prove they are filled with guilt. Well, Hamlet did manage to pull a reaction out of them. Claudius question’s the play almost immediately and Hamlet responds with a witty and shrewd response stating that anyone with a guilt free conscience would enjoy it. This causes Claudius to erupt. Hamlet is following through with action yet again, except this time Claudius is forced to endure Hamlet’s wrath. Hamlet’s elaborately devised plan is slowly unraveling and it’s working. Hamlet has successfully convinced everyone that he is no threat and is just a kid, when he really is a mad genius hiding his real evil intentions to kill Claudius. His charade has enabled him to be viewed completely innocent and has put attention onto Claudius. Hamlet is not mad, he has just flawlessly put on this act fooling everyone around him to get revenge against Claudius who has finally realized his plan.

Hamlet is not mad, he is forced to make difficult and irrevocable decisions. Nor is he indecisive, he is just extremely careful in planning. Hamlet managed to fool all these people into thinking he is just crazy and an ignorant kid. Hamlet is beyond complex and highly intelligent. At the beginning of the plat, Hamelt does have trouble deciding what’s wrong from right causing him to hesitate on putting his words into action. But once he overcomes this, he is basically unstoppable. Everyone over looks him and sees him as harmless. Once he takes action against taking down Claudius, everyone will see what he has done. Hamlet walks a thin line between insanity and sanity through the entire play, but he is never actually insane, it’s all just part of the plan.