Is Hamlet Truly Mad?
Is Hamlet Truly Mad? In Shakespeare’s Hamlet, the ghost of Hamlet’s father reveals to him that he has been murdered by his brother Claudius, the man who also married Hamlet’s mother after he died. After finding out that Claudius killed his father, Hamlet makes it his mission to avenge his father by killing Claudius. Many believe that Hamlet went mad after seeing the ghost and planning his revenge, but really it was just part of the process that came with his revenge on Claudius. At the beginning of the play, Hamlet warns his friends that he will go insane since it is only appropriate for him to act that way now that he knows that Claudius murdered his father.
For instance, after being introduced to the ghost and receiving the news that Claudius …show more content…
For instance when Hamlet sees the ghost while he is with his mother, he states “This is very coinage of your brain. This bodiless creation ecstasy is very cunning” (3.4, 157-159). The manifestation made in this quote is that only Hamlet sees a ghost while his mother who is also in the scene does not see the ghost. Hamlet can be easily seen as mad by others who do not see the ghost since it is absurd to believe that ghosts actually exist. Although Hamlet believing that he sees a ghost can easily make him seem like he’s going mad, we know that he is not mad because other characters in the play have seen the ghost as well. For instance, when telling Hamlet about the ghost, Horatio states “Two nights together had these gentlemen Marcellus and Bernardo on their watch, in the dead waste and middle of the night, Been thus encountered: a figure like your father” (1.2, 206-209). Because other people have also seen the ghost, we can see that others are only convinced that Hamlet is mad but really, he isn’t he’s only acting mad because he knows that it is essential for him to be to get a reaction from Claudius. It is necessary for Hamlet to act mad to bring about Claudius’s guilt since it will allow him to have control in studying Claudius’s guilt. He knows that his madness will spark a reaction of guilt from Claudius. Gertrude only thinks he’s mad in this scene because he’s already pretended to be mad
For instance, after being introduced to the ghost and receiving the news that Claudius …show more content…
For instance when Hamlet sees the ghost while he is with his mother, he states “This is very coinage of your brain. This bodiless creation ecstasy is very cunning” (3.4, 157-159). The manifestation made in this quote is that only Hamlet sees a ghost while his mother who is also in the scene does not see the ghost. Hamlet can be easily seen as mad by others who do not see the ghost since it is absurd to believe that ghosts actually exist. Although Hamlet believing that he sees a ghost can easily make him seem like he’s going mad, we know that he is not mad because other characters in the play have seen the ghost as well. For instance, when telling Hamlet about the ghost, Horatio states “Two nights together had these gentlemen Marcellus and Bernardo on their watch, in the dead waste and middle of the night, Been thus encountered: a figure like your father” (1.2, 206-209). Because other people have also seen the ghost, we can see that others are only convinced that Hamlet is mad but really, he isn’t he’s only acting mad because he knows that it is essential for him to be to get a reaction from Claudius. It is necessary for Hamlet to act mad to bring about Claudius’s guilt since it will allow him to have control in studying Claudius’s guilt. He knows that his madness will spark a reaction of guilt from Claudius. Gertrude only thinks he’s mad in this scene because he’s already pretended to be mad