Sanity in William Shakespeares Hamlet Essay - 1037 Words

Sanity in William Shakespeares Hamlet Hamlet is a play about a man who has had a father killed by his uncle, after this act of treachery the uncle then marries Hamlet’s mother. Hamlet is sane in this play because prior to going â€Å"insane† he informs us he is going to. If Hamlet were truly insane he would not be able to tell others that he is going to act insane as of a certain point in time. Hamlet would try to deny insanity, not pride himself in the fact that he is insane. Hamlet uses insanity as a way to express himself, almost as if he thought people would think it was normal for him to these things because he was insane. Hamlet is sane in the play because he can think and act normally, he†¦show more content†¦The crowd would act along with him laughing and such, but when he did act most insanely the crowd was shocked and appalled. Hamlet’s problem is that he does too much inward thinking and that he has no sensory awareness (Coleridge). He does not want instant revenge becau se he has to think things through, a characteristic of sanity. Hamlet still acts sane at certain points in the play when talking to the ones he told that he was going to act insane. When insane he would not be able to act sane and always remember to act sane around certain people throughout the play. He states right at the beginning of the play he is doing it as an act to seek revenge on his father. The ghost of his father brings on hamlet’s insanity, but there were also other people there to witness it. If Hamlet were insane he would have seen the ghost alone, since they have seen him as well Hamlet can trust them and act sane around them. â€Å"Which I have told thee of my father’s death†, this happens during the play of which Claudius is confronted, Hamlet has told Haratio of his father’s terrible death showing that he can trust him, so he has no reason to act insane (3. 2. 77). He is not trying to hint at his father’s death to Haratio like he is to others in the play, so he has no reason to act insa ne. Hamlets uses of puns in the play were a way for emotional relief (Eliot).Show MoreRelated Sanity, Insanity, Madness? - William Shakespeares Hamlet is Sane2156 Words   |  9 PagesSanity, Insanity, Madness? - William Shakespeares Hamlet is Sane In William Shakespeares Hamlet, the lead character, Prince Hamlet of Denmark, has been interpreted in numerous ways. Throughout the play Hamlet takes on different personas, making it hard define him as only one character type. Often when critics analyze the character of Hamlet, they question his sanity because of his ambiguity soon after he sees his fathers ghost. What does it mean to be insane? The definition of the word insaneRead MoreMental Illness in Shakespeares Works1371 Words   |  6 PagesThroughout Shakespeare’s many works, mental illnesses have played an undeniable part in many of them, especially his tragedies. 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