An Inquiry Into Hamlet — страница 2

uncle (Hamlet is said by some critics to have an Oedipus complex) and rejected love hence this two helped plunge Hamlet into his suicidal melancholies which we see him in almost throughout the entire cause of the play. Therefore it could be said that from the begining of the play Hamlet was psychologically unstable as a result of the negativities of life which pluaged him thus plunging him into madness and his suicidal melancholies. Lastly in defence of his madness, we have his encounter with Leartes in Ophelia’s grave (Act 5 scene 1)where he tells Leartes thus: “For though I am not splentative and rash, yet I have in me something dangerous which let thy wiseness fear” This statement shows or reveals to us that Hamlet has something in him which ought to be feared though we

might see the statement as being an ordinary one which would be uttered by anyone found in such circumstances as we see Hamlet but however probing deeper for the meaning and its intricacies we realise that Hamlet is aware that he has something within him which could surface or take control of him at any moment in time and has the lack of control over it. This could possibly be a spirit or demon from hell which takes over Hamlet during certain periods in the play thus his fits of madness. Reversly it could be argued that Hamlet was not mad as can be seen in certain points in the play. Firstly it could be argued that Hamlet was not mad but indeed sane as can be seen in (Act 1 scene 5) where he tells Horatio thus: “Here as before,never, so help you mercy how strange or odd

some’er I bear myself As I perchance hearafter might think meet to put on an antic disposition on” This shows that Hamlet had preplanned his supposed madness as he also tells Rosencrantz and Guildestern that: “I am but mad north-north-west;when the wind is southerly, I know a hawk from a handshaw” This statement goes to say that Hamlet is not mad, though Rosencrantz and Guildestern did not realize this we however do. Some analysts and critics think that Hamlet feigned his madness for protection as he feared that he might indeed run mad and constantly made himself aware of this so as to prevent true madness from overbearing him as a result of seeing the ghost and thus he was fully aware of his actions. Secondly further evidence can be brought forth in defence of his

sanity. on the event on his exile to England. On the ship as he informs Horatio (Act 4 Scene 5)on how he discovrd Claudius’ plan to have him killed and writting a new letter for the King of england. This goes to suggest that Hamlet was sane as only a sane person would be able to do such things as he claimed to have done.Also he informs his mother of his sanity. Also his encounter with Leartes in Ophelia’s grave goes to show a great level of sanity when he fights Leartes and also says: “For though I am splentative and rash yet I have in me something dangerous which let thy wiseness fear” This statement goes to show Hamlet’s self awareness as to his abilities as he says he has in himself something dangerous as this could be true as we can see in the deaths of Polonious,

Rosencrantz and Guildestern, but rather than this throughout the entire play we see him lacking the ability of taking decisive actions when they are needed and thus this raises questioins such as what else happened on the ship bound for England?. Hamlet possibly on the ship bound for England found his long sought courage as witnessed in the deaths of Rosencrantz and Guildestern his friends form childhood thus his reason for the threat. However it is also interesting as other characters see Hamlet as Having a craftiness or wisdom in his madness and possibly a coincidence all who discover this died at his hands. From the evidence given above for both sides I personally feel Hamlet was sane throughout the entire play but however the answer to the question Is Hamlet mad is still a

matter of opinion.