Group_4

Group 4

Margaret Hoerner and Matt Baker

Mr. Pflieger

Period 3 Honors English

June 4, 2009 

= = A Feigned Madness to a Motive

//The Tragedy of Hamlet the Prince of Denmark// is a compelling play that questions sanity in humans and enables the audience to decide for themselves whether or not Hamlet is indeed "crazy." Depressed and angry due to his father's sudden death, in addition to his mother's nearly immediate remarriage to his uncle, Hamlet is predisposed to unstable behavior. In the beginning of Shakespeare's play, the young prince Hamlet quickly learns of the gruesome story behind of his father's death. Furthermore, his serpent of an uncle snaked his wife behind his back and then poisoned him in the garden. Throughout the play, Hamlet devotes himself to avenging the death of his father, King Hamlet, however his contemplative nature delays his plans and causes him to enter a somber state of madness. In Hamlet's unyielding quest for revenge that comprises the plot of Shakepeare's play, Hamlet's character demonstrates apparent madness, however Hamlet is a completely sane individual.

Throughout the play, Hamlet shows several signs of genuine madness. Furthermore in Act 3, Hamlet treats his lover Ophelia with utter disprespect (Act 3, scene i). Before Hamlet confronts Ophelia, he was ponders suicide aloud. When Hamlet sees Ophelia, she tries to hand over his "tokens of love" on the orders of her father Polonius. He begins to ramble erratically, and shows irrational anger about how he never sent her anything. Ophelia, who is overwhelmed with confusion, reveals the presents to Hamlet as proof. He can see what he sent to her with his own eyes, but still denies he ever sent these tokens. Hamlet states how he once loved her, but then never loved her at all. In other words, Hamlet's speech is making little sense as he contradicts himself several times during his confrontation with Ophelia. Hamlet later insists that Ophelia be sent to a nunnery and voices his aspersion to all marriages. Although this scene illustrates Hamlet's genuine madness, his madness is only a result of being trapped by the "ectasy of love."

Although Hamlet's rage appears to be set off immediately into the conversation with Ophelia, his "madness" is not as genuine as it may seem. In Act 2, scene ii, Hamlet finds himself face to face his Polonius, Ophelia's father. Hamlet asks him if he is a fishmonger, and he appears to not recognize Polonius. Hamlet continues to answer his questions irrationally, which sends Polonius into a rage. However in the next act, during the confrontation with Ophelia, Hamlet mentions Polonius, so he must have known who Polonius was in relation to her. Ophelia claims that he is at home, though it is not clear whether Hamlet believes her or not. He seems to know or suspect that he is being watched. He yells that the doors in Polonius' home should be locked so he can play the fool no where else but there. He looks to be omniscient about who is watching him and for what purpose. He wants them to think he is crazy, for all the wrong reasons. Although it is valid to assume that Hamlet is "mad" due to Ophelia's rejection that was ordered by her father, Hamlet is only genuinely entrapped in the madness of love.

Hamlet's thirst for revenge on King Claudius is sparked by the appearance of the ghost of Hamlet's father in Act 1. The ghost advises Hamlet to allow Gertrude's conscience to eat away at her and not to actually harm her. Hamlet appears to neglect his father's advise when he uses force against the Queen following his brutal muder of Polonius. He induces much fear in his mother, and as a result Gertrude believes her son is going to murder her. During the confrontation, the ghost of King Hamlet suddenly reappears. Hamlet recognizes the ghost, however, Gertrude does not. Gertrude assumes that her son is insane, for he showing signs of hallucination. Although Hamlet's hallucination has a profound influence on his insane behavior, the ghost in this scene appears to calm down Hamlet's enraged inner emotions.

Although several of Hamlet's actions demonstarate that his madness is genuine, Hamlet is not a "mad" character. Furthermore, Hamlet's ability to contemplate his actions, analyze his motives, and creating intricate plans to achieve revenge demonstrates his sanity. A cautious and sane individual will often think before making crucial descisions. In the play, Hamlet demonstrates this sane charcteristic when he decides not to kill Claudius because Claudius is praying. In Act 3, the King is deep in thought, questioning his guilty conscience, and confessing his sins. Although Hamlet is presented with this oppurtunity to seek revenge for his father's death, he says, "A villain kills my father, and for that, I, his sole son, do this same villain send to heaven. Why, this hire and salary, not revenge" (Act 3, Scene 3, lline 81-84). In other words, Hamlet demonstrates his sanity by not killing Claudius as he confesses his sins, because this would not be complete revenge. In addition, Hamlet also demonstrates the ability of a sane man to plan ahead in order to effectively obtain complete revenge. Hamlet demonstates this in Act 2, Scene two when he contrives a plan to "catch the conscience of the king" (Act 2, scene 2, line 634) that will involve the players performing a play for the King that parallels the story of Hamlet's father's murder. In Shakespeare's play, Hamlet proves his ability ponder and execute decisions, and as a result he proves himself to be a sane character empowered by an unyielding desire to seek revenge upon the King.

In addition his clear ability to make wise descisions, Hamlet's tendency to feel guilt after killing Polonius also demonstrates his sanity as an individual. Hamlet's awareness of his actions demonstrate that he can recognize the evil facets of murder, despite his thirst for revenge. In Act 3, He violently murders Polonius, who is behind a curtain. He soon confesses to his actions and pleads for foregiveness when he says, " I do repent. But heaven hath pleased it so, To punish me with this and this with me That I must scourge and minister. I will bestow him and will answer well The death I gave him..." (Act 3. scene iv, lines 176-180). In other words, Hamlet, despite his dislike for Polonius, he says that he will answwer to Polonius's death in the future. In addition, in the end of the play, demonstrates his awareness of his guilty conscience. Furthermore, He professes that he is sorry for what he has done to Laertes when he says, " But I am very sorry, good Horatio, that to Laertes I forgot myself, For by the image my cause I see the portaiture of his. I'll court his favors" (Act 3, scene ii, line 80-84). At the end of the play, he once again admits to his tarnished reputation he has created during his path to revenge. Hamlet says to Horatio, "O God, Horantio, what a wounded name, things standing thus unkown, shall live behind me" (Act 4, scene ii, lines 341-342). Hamlet's ability to confess his feeling of guilt thoughout the play illustrates that he is not "crazy."

During several conversations in Shakespeare's play, Hamlet advises other characters to disreguard his self-proclaimed "madness." This supports Hamlet's sanity because it is evident that Hamlet is conscious of his own erratic behavior, and therefore he has control over his actions. Upon encountering the ghost, Hamlet forces Horatio and Marcellus to swear upon a sword and ignore Hamlet's "madness" when he says, "But come. Here as before, never, so help you mercy, How strange or odd some'er I bear myself (As I perchance hereafter shall think meet To put an antic disposition on") (Act 1, Scene v, lines 170-174). In addition, after Gertrude proclaims that Hamlet is mad, Hamlet reveals his genuine self. Fermore, Hamlet confesses that his "madness" is feigned. Hamlet says, " my pulse as yours temperately keep time and makes as healthful music. It is not madness that I have uttered. Bring me to the test, and I the matter will reword, which madness would gambol from." In other words, Hamlet is pleading for his mother's belief in his own sanity.

Hamlet is a self-proclaimed "proud, revengeful, and ambitious" character who immediately after his father was murders, set forth on his journey to usurp the throne of Denmark. Despite Hamlet's valiant efforts to kill King Claudius and inherit his power, Hamlet's life also ended in the violent scene of Act 5. Throughout the play, the young prince Hamlet entered into deep depression as he questioned his own ability to seek revenge. The family circumstances that surrounded Hamlet during the play accounts for his erratic states of anger, sadness, and madness. Howver, dispite this madness that appeared to be genuine, Hamlet is a completely sane character. Hamlet's ability to premeditate his actions, openly reflect on his guilty conscience, and cofess to his own episodes of apparent madness supports Hamlet's sanity.