Hamlet’s Insanity

Revenge can cause one to be blinded through rage, rather than through understanding. It is from the law of an eye for an eye, but the law is not always an intelligent concept to go along with. In William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, he uses revenge as the major theme for the growth of Hamlet’s madness throughout the village to avenge his father’s death.

It is ironical how retaliation was pursued by Hamlet but in turn he perished because of its foolish necessity. He is the tragic hero, but not only has he impacted himself, he has suffered the people he knew to their deaths as well. Although, the subject of Hamlet’s insanity throughout the play is difficult to diagnose if he’s crazy or simply faking it is the central topic, the theme of revenge, morality, and obsession.

Violent bloodlust vengeance for someone who has taken from one, causes insanity through the mind. When the Ghost appeared in the first scene, Horatio. Before my God, I might not believe without the sensible and true avouch of mine own eyes. Marcellus. Is it not like the King?… Horatio. But soft, behold! Lo, where it comes again! I’ll cross it though it blast me. Stay, illusion!… (Act 1.1, lines 60-63,130-131, p. 238,240) Horatio, Marcellus, and Barnardo warn Hamlet of the incident. When he encounters the Ghost he feels confusion and relief that it is his father, but the Ghost gives him a duty to avenge his death, Ghost. Revenge his foul and most unnatural murder. Hamlet. Murder?…Ghost. A serpent stung me. So the whole ear of Denmark is by forged process of my death rankle abused. But know, thou noble youth, the serpent that did sting thy father’s life now wears his crown. Hamlet. O my prophetic soul! My uncle! (Act 1.5, lines 26-27,36-42,p.256,257)

For Hamlet to hear this may seem as if his hatred for his uncle, King Claudius maximize to violent revenge, Hamlet So excellent a king, that was to this Hyperion to satyr why she, even she (O God, a beast that wants discourse of reason would have mourned longer!), marries with my uncle, my father’s brother, but no more like my father than I to Hercules. With such dexterity to incestuous sheets! (Act 1.2, lines 139-140, 149-153,157,p.245,246)Hamlet honoring his father’s existence comparing it to his uncle, which is less than him. The plan Hamlet develops to avenge his father’s death, Hamlet. 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) That you, at such times seeing me, never shall, with arms encumbered thus, or this headshake, or by pronouncing of some doubtful phrase, as ?Well, well, we know,’ or ?We could an if we would,’ or ?If we list to speak,’ or ?There be an if they might,’ or such ambiguous giving-out, to note that you know aught of me this do swear, so grace and mercy at your most need help you. Ghost. Swear. (Act 1.5, lines 174-186,p.261) Hamlet is going to pretend to be insane, a tactic that will help him to carry out his revenge against King Claudius.

This plan of Hamlet can diagnose him as a manipulator to all characters in the play to reveal the truth about his father’s death. In the article 9 Traits of Manipulative People defines that, Manipulative people have mastered the art of deception. They may appear respectable and sincere but often that’s just a fa?§ade; it’s a way to draw you in and ensnare you in a relationship before they show their true colors. Hamlet, however, appeared to the the village as insane to draw everyone’s attention on him.

Furthermore, Hamlet’s madness can be diagnosed with bipolar disorder, which is a disorder associated with episodes of mood swings ranging from depressive lows to manic highs. Hamlet’s moods cycle through a depressive state with Claudius commenting that the clouds still hang on on him. (Act 1.2, line 66, p.244) When he illustrates to the Queen the manner of his grief he says, But I have that within which passes show, These but the trappings and the suits of woe. (Act 1.2, lines 85-86, p.244) The grief he feels is something deeper, a heavy depression. In his soliloquy, Hamlet. To be or not to be ”that is the question: whether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, or to take arms against a sea of troubles and, by opposing, end them. To die, to sleep no more ”and by a sleep to say we end the heartache and the thousand natural shocks that flesh is heir to (Act 3.1, lines 59-64,p.285) This use of metaphors expresses Hamlet’s view of life, death, and afterlife with the idea of suicide as a way to end the sufferings of life.

This low state of the bipolar disorder goes back to a manic episode when Hamlet impulsively murder Polonius with no hesitation. Lastly one may relate Hamlet’s actions to the disorders of schizophrenia. In the article Hamlet: Schizophreniform with violent tendencies and depression says, he displays delusions, hallucinations, certain negative symptoms, and disorganized speech The delusion ¦in the idea that he believes himself to be the only one who can clearly see what is going on with his uncle and his mother. He keeps much of his thoughts about what is going on to himself The hallucinations He claims to see the Ghost which both appears and speaks to him. Notice that the Ghost only talks to Hamlet alone and no else can ever hear him His disorganized speech with Ophelia which she goes to talk about the favors he’s giving her and he claims to have no notion of what she is talking about and calls her a liar He mistreats [her] accusing her of horrible things and intentions.

The themes of morality, revenge, and obsession stay very transparent throughout the play, though every character has dealt with challenges and critical times of their own, it’s very apparent that Shakespeare’s theme of morality for Hamlet motivates him to his downfall. In the beginning Hamlet’s morality was possessively strong, but it grew weak as he began to overthink excessively causing his insanity. The avenging of his father’s death, Hamlet relates to perfectionism and reputation to define his justice to kill Claudius. Along comes with Hamlet’s morality is vengeful revenge, a vicious, violent way to make one feel better about an offense against them. In the tragedy, it displays how Hamlet planned out how he wanted to reveal the truth and the time to kill the King, but due to his procrastination he hesitated. With revenge followed obsession to achieve one’s goal.

Shakespeare used obsession to investigate both Hamlet’s desire for revenge and his demand for confidence to fulfill his deeds. His obsession to kill Claudius made him impulsive and impatient, Hamlet. Now might I do it pat, now he is a-praying, And now I’ll do ‘t. And so he goes to heaven, And so I am revenged. That would be scanned: A villain kills my father, and for that, I, his sole son, do this same villain send To heaven. (Act 3.3, lines 73-78, p.302-303) Hamlet’s morality comes in but he still wants get him at the right time when he is not praying, so Claudius doesn’t go to heaven. On the other hand, Shakespeares themes addresses the point that revenge is never the answer, it clouds one’s judgement, and leads to tragic downfall to the grave. Thus, one should let life take its course on the adversary that has offended them.

In conclusion, Hamlet’s is insane to let his pretending act to manipulate others by losing his mind. The bipolar outbursts for his father’s death and his plan to capture King Claudius as the culprit dragged him down to his own death. Although, the subject of Hamlet’s insanity throughout the play is difficult to diagnose if he’s crazy or simply faking it is the central topic, the theme of revenge, morality, and obsession. Hamlet’s mental illnesses are Manipulative disorder, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia. There are some innocent bystanders who are left ceased to exist after Hamlet fulfills what he believes is his responsibility of avenging his father’s killer. The tragedy of Hamlet is profoundly a whether or not if he’s evil or insane to other readers intellect.