Feigning Madness Or Truly Insane - 1173 Words

Aubrey Booker Mrs. Hopkins English IV-AP 7 May 2015 Feigning Madness or Truly Insane? In Shakespeare’s Hamlet each of the characters face many trials and tribulations throughout the play. Hamlet, the main character, suffers the most. While Hamlet deals with all of the problems he faces, he becomes mentally unstable. Some believe that Hamlet just feigned madness while others believe that he actually became insane. Hamlet began to face insanity after the marriage of his mother and uncle and his problems only became worse which leads to Hamlet truly becoming insane. The first problem in the play occurs when a ghost begins showing up at the castle. At the beginning of the play two guards stand outside of the castle speaking of a ghost they had seen twice before â€Å"this dreaded sight twice seen of us† (1.1.25). Horatio, a scholar, stands with the men when the ghost comes by again and Marcellus, a guard, says to Horatio â€Å"Thou art a scholar; speak to it Horatio† (1.1.42). After failed attempts at speaking with th e ghost, it leaves and Horatio contemplates whose ghost it could have been. Marcellus asks Horatio â€Å"Is it not like the king?† (1.1.58) to which Horatio agrees and points out that the ghost wore the very armor the late King wore to battle with Norway. Horatio knew that he should consult Prince Hamlet about the appearance of the late King Hamlet’s ghost as perhaps he will know what to do. Claudius, brother to the late King, announces that he has married his brother’s wifeShow MoreRelatedâ€Å"ThereS A Fine Line Between Genius And Insanity. I Have1280 Words   |  6 Pageswas murdered and that revenge must be sought, or he must remain in purgatory. Hamlet then vowed to fulfill his father’s wish while also feigning madness so that no other could determine his intentions to kill the man that was then king. On his path to take revenge on the king, Ophelia was driven into true insanity which greatly contrasts his own feign of madness. 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This aspect is the certain ‘key’ events that take placeRead MoreHamlet, By William Shakespeare1650 Words   |  7 Pages What is madness? Is someone considered mad or insane simply because they are different, and they, in turn, see the rest of the world as insane? William Shakespeare s play Hamlet is about a complex protagonist, Hamlet, who plays the role of a tragic hero. He encounters several misfortunes from experiencing his beloved father’s death, witnessing his mother s incestuous remarriage to his uncle, and seeing his father’s ghost. Due to all of this, Hamlet falls into a deep depression. Hamlet begins hisRead MoreHamlet, By William Shakespeare Essay1636 Words   |  7 Pageswhether Hamlet s â€Å"madness† is sincere or if he is simply a fake. However there is evidence in order to support one side of this debate. The answer simply lies in the actor s performance. 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What I do not know is if I believe this because it is what I was taught or if I came up with the idea myself based on my own interpretation. When I was taught Hamlet there was no argument it was just fact that he was faking his madness. Because of my confusion, I came to find that it may be interesting take out of the play any moment in which Hamlet makes the audience aware that he is only pretending that to be mad. I want to take out any proof that his madness isn’t realRead MoreEssay on Hamlet As A Madman1396 Words   |  6 Pagesfascinating man. A philosopher and a fencer, he is a man disgusted with the rottenness of life around him and is obligated to set things right. Under the guise of madness he attempts to achieve his ends; yet there is much to puzzle over. Was Hamlet really such a good actor that he could fool everyone into believing in his madness or was he truly mad? And, why did he wait so long to carry out his revenge? 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