Psychology In Hamlet

Psychology Today: Hamlet Throughout Hamlet the reader sees how Hamlet’s behaviors progresses from one extremity to another. The death of Hamlet’s father was the beginning of Hamlet’s drive towards insanity. After the King’s death, Hamlet’s mother remarried the late King’s brother, Claudius, which drove Hamlet’s behavior even worse. As the play continues, we can see that Hamlet’s sanity steadily decreases during the entire plot. Psychological analysis will reveal a perspective of what Hamlet is thinking and why his behavior dropped into the status it became.
Initial Assessment: Hamlet is in a deep state of depression, the death of his father is causing a great deal of grief. His mourning at this stage seems to be at a more advanced stage of severity than it should be. His first soliloquy,
“O, that this too too solid flesh would melt,
But break my heart, for I must hold my tongue!”
Act I, Scene 1 (129-158)
This statement is made by Hamlet shortly after witnessing Claudius and Gertrude together in their court, and after they had asked Hamlet not to return to Wittenberg to continue studying. He discusses the possibility of suicide, and how it may be a better alternative of the painful life he is in. He expresses his disgust in his mother’s marriage to Claudius.
Assessment 2: Further observation has confirmed that Hamlet’s behavior indicate that he is losing his sanity. During Hamlet’s conversation with Polonius, Polonius asked Hamlet if he knew who he (Polonius) was. Hamlet replied, “Excellent well; you’re a fishmonger.” Act II, Scene 2 (173)
This statement is contradicting in that it is hard to really determine whether or not Hamlet is being completely serious or not. If he is being serious, it would obviously mean he has gone completely insane, but no one in the right mind would say something like this. Therefore, this is one of many things Hamlet states that result in the bewilderment of the people around