Schizophrenia In Shakespeare's Hamlet

Schizophrenia is a "chronic, severe, and disabling" (NIMH) condition that affects about one percent of Americans. As Hamlet progresses through the play he displays each of the three classifications of symptoms: positive, negative, and cognitive. In Shakespeare 's play Hamlet, Hamlet slowly succumbs to this destructive disease.

Throughout the play Hamlet frequently displays positive symptoms of schizophrenia. A positive symptom refers to thoughts or perceptions that deviate from the norm. These include symptoms such as hallucinations, delusions, and thought disorder. Hamlet 's speech is often rapid and difficult to understand. As he moves from a proverb that is "something musty" to "recorders" (3.2.319) he exhibits a symptom called disorganized
Cognitive symptoms are more subtle and harder to detect in someone suffering from schizophrenia, most often cognitive symptoms are only discovered through neuropsychological tests. However as Hamlet talks to Polonius he lacks the ability to pay attention as he rambles on about a cloud that goes from looking like a "camel" to a "weasel" to a "whale" (3.3.347-352), while Polonius attempts to get Hamlet to visit his mother. Schizophrenics presenting cognitive symptoms often have trouble paying attention for a prolonged period of time. Hamlet also exhibits signs of poor executive functioning which is the ability to retain and use information to make decisions. Hamlet sees the ghost of his father, whether it is there or not, but is unable to react because he believes that it "may be the devil" (2.2.578). While Hamlet claims to have put on an "antic disposition" (1.5.173), it is difficult not to say that he is truly mad due to all of his displayed
While the exact cause of schizophrenia is unknown it is believed to be a mixture of genetic and environmental factors such as high stress or a traumatizing event. The sudden death of Hamlet 's father and his mother 's "o 'erhasty marriage" (2.2.57) certainly qualifies as a trauma that would drive him to madness. And while schizophrenics are not more inclined towards violence than other people, if a schizophrenic does become violent it is most likely to be directed at family members and take place at home such as when Gertrude believes that Hamlet is going to "murder [her]" (3.4.22) or when he "stabs his sword through the arras and kills Polonius" (3.4.25), as stated by the play 's stage directions. Hamlet 's immense hatred for his mother is shown when he cries out to frailty "thy name is woman" (1.2.146) and his uncle who he exclaims is a "damned villain ' (1.5.106). Hamlet 's constant struggle against his desire to attempt suicide is prevalent in schizophrenics. Statistically, people with schizophrenia attempt suicide more often than those without the disease and 10 percent usually succeed in the task. The only reason that Hamlet doesn 't actually commit suicide is because he is a devout Christian and God has "fixed/His canon 'gainst self-slaughter!"