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How Does Shakespeare Use Madness In Hamlet

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How Does Shakespeare Use Madness In Hamlet
Melissa Martin Martin 1
Pressley
ENG 102
April 27, 2014
How Shakespeare Uses Madness Madness is one of the main themes in Hamlet. There are many themes presented in the play but madness is the greatest of them all. Hamlet, Claudius, and Laertes all represent madness in the play. Characterization is representation of a character or characters on the stage or in writing, especially by imitating or describing actions, gestures, or speeches. Madness is the state of being mentally ill, esp. severely. Madness is represented by Claudius during Hamlet’s play. He does not want anyone to know he murdered the King. Hamlet represents madness when his father is murdered. He wants to find out who did such a crime. Laertes is mad at the death of his father and sister. These are all examples of where each character feels anger and madness during the play. Hamlet is the number one person who stays mad …show more content…
Hamlet, an ideal prince, and other essays in Shakesperean interpretation: Hamlet; Merchant of Venice; Othello; King Lear. Boston R.G. Badger, 1916. Shakespeare Online. 20 Aug. 2009. Web. 27 Apr. 2014.< http://www.shakespeare-online.com/plays/hamlet/antichamlet.html >.

This website was very useful about Hamlet’s antic-disposition. This site gives examples of how and when Hamlet was mad throughout the play. It gives exact quotations and then summaries from the quote. It was very useful in my research about Hamlet’s madness. This site made you really think how the madness was all a front throughout the play. I never really thought about that hard until I ran into this website. It was beneficial to me and my paper. Shakespeare plays are always attempts for you to look at life deeper than it really is. This site appreciates Shakespeare and his work of art.

Shmoop Editorial Team. "Hamlet Theme of Madness." Shmoop.com. Shmoop University, Inc., 11 Nov. 2008. Web. 27 Apr. 2014.
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