Name : Vora Kiran Shamaldas. Class: M.A SEM:1 Roll No. – 20 Paper no. 1 The Renaissance Literature

Unit – 1 Topic – Hamlet’s Madness Email id- Kiranvora5196@gmail.com Submitted to- Smt. S. B. Gardi department of English M. K. Bhavnagar university

Presentation on Hamlet’s Madness

HAMLET: THE PRINCE OF DENMARK BY WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

What do we mean by “Madness” ??? Madness is a condition of serious mental

illness. Totally foolish behavior. Madness typically occurs in the mind of a

person who have experienced an event or many events that effected his/her mind deeply and emotionally and then his/her mind simply cannot cope up with the harsh reality of the world, so he/she ends up into the state of madness.

A mental disorder or a state of chaotic activity.

MADNESS

The issue of Hamlet’s madness is very complex in Shakespeare’s Hamlet.

Is Hamlet mad? Or is acting to be one? – that is the main complexity of the play.

If we assume that he is mad, we can find some causes behind it.

MADNESS IN HAMLET

First and most importantly, Hamlet became mad due to his father King Hamlet’s death. We could say this, by first scene in Act : I where Gertrude and Claudius are aware of his depression.

Claudius : “How is it that the clouds still hang on you?” (Act : I)

Gertrude : “Good Hamlet cast thy nighted color off…………….seek for they noble father in the dust (Act : I)

After this in scene 2, in Hamlet’s Soliloquy, “Too, too solid flesh”, his depression over his father’s death can be seen.

Second thing, Polonius suggests Claudius that Hamlet is Mad because of his love for Ophelia. And Ophelia’s rejection.

If we believe that he wasn’t actually mad but was pretending to be one.

Just to disguise his real intentions of revenge of his father’s murder by killing Claudius without being suspicious. There’s possibility of this.

MADNESS - AN ACT

Quotes by Hamlet, that shows he wasn’t mad

Hamlet: “I essentially am not in madness, but mad in craft” ( Act : 3 Sc. 4) Hamlet assures his mother that he is intentionally acting the madness. .

Hamlet : “I must be idle” and “either act

foolishly” (Act : 3 Sc. 2) here Hamlet says this to Horatio while discussing

the plan of play.

When Claudius was praying about his guilt, Hamlet sees him. He thinks to kill him there, but he does not kill him.

“Now might I do it pat, now a’ is a-praying; And now I’ll do it, and so he goes to heaven, And so am I reveng’d. That would be scann’d; A villain kills my father, for that, I, his sole son, do this same villain send To heaven. O, this is hire and salary, not revenge.” (Act:3 Sc.3). This shows that he has a sane mind to think this, and he is not mad.

“To put on an antic-deposition” (Act:1 Sc.5) at this time he says front of audience that he will adopt an act of a madman.

“I am but mad north-north-west. When the wind is southerly, I know a hawk from handsaw” (Act:2 Sc.2) – Hamlet tells this to Guildenstern and Rosencrantz that he is not really crazy but acts when he needs to.

“Though this be madness, yet there is method in’t.” Polonius says this referring to Hamlet. This proves that there’s a reason behind hamlet’s madness.

Claudius :“Though it lacked from a little, was not like madness…….will be same danger.” (Act:3 Sc.1)

Thus, there are many examples that proves he wasn’t mad, but still this play is complex, filled with layers of meaning. Analysis can reveal that Hamlet is straightforward and sane.

This proves that Hamlet’s act of madness worked, because Claudius believes that his words are crazy, insane, but still he thinks that, those words can lead to danger.

Thank you For the

Attention