In Shakespeare's play "Hamlet," the titular character feigns madness as a means of achieving his ultimate goal: avenging his father's murder. Throughout the play, Hamlet's madness serves multiple purposes, both for himself and for those around him.
One of the primary reasons for Hamlet's feigned madness is self-protection. By appearing mad, Hamlet is able to deflect suspicion and avoid being targeted by those who may seek to harm him. For example, after murdering Polonius, Hamlet tells his mother, Gertrude, "I essentially am not in madness, / But mad in craft" (III.4.187-188). In this way, Hamlet is able to deflect suspicion and avoid being punished for the murder.
In addition to protecting himself, Hamlet's madness also serves as a means of manipulating those around him. By pretending to be mad, Hamlet is able to throw off the suspicions of others and gain an advantage over them. For example, he uses his feigned madness to plant seeds of doubt in the mind of Claudius, his uncle and the murderer of his father. He tells Claudius, "I essentially am not in madness, / But mad in craft" (III.4.187-188), implying that he is fully aware of what he is doing and is using his madness as a means of manipulating those around him.
Furthermore, Hamlet's feigned madness serves as a way for him to explore and express his inner turmoil. The death of his father and the betrayal of his mother have left him deeply distressed, and his madness allows him to vent his frustration and grief in a way that would not be possible if he were acting rationally. In this way, his feigned madness serves as a cathartic outlet for his pent-up emotions.
Overall, Hamlet's feigned madness serves multiple purposes throughout the play. It allows him to protect himself, manipulate those around him, and explore and express his inner turmoil. While it may seem like a risky strategy, Hamlet's use of madness ultimately helps him achieve his ultimate goal of avenging his father's murder.
Feigned madness
He thinks that the whole world is full of evil in his deranged mind, and killing one Claudius could not solve the problem. In the character's clouded thoughts The Importance Of Madness In Hamlet By William Shakespeare ulterior motives against the new King, Claudius. After hearing the ghost's desire for avenge, Hamlet declares prior to his action that he will consciously fake his madness as he seeks revenge against Claudius. When Gertrude calls for help, Polonius intends to answer her call; however, Hamlet kills him, claiming that he was a rat. Imagine your beloved father dying and your mother marrying his brother shortly after. My name is A H M Ohidujjaman. Hamlet also has to keep the presence of the ghost in secret because he is the only one who can see and hear it; so, it is understandable that his insanity is greatly argued upon.
The Real and Feigned Madness of Hamlet and Ophelia Essay...
We must questions Hamlets madness crucially and examine whether he is indeed crazy, or just simply pretending as part of his master plan to get revenge on Claudius. Hamlet confronts his mother by challenging her, "Now, Mother, what's the matter? Hamlet is also famously philosophical. The young woman loses common sense because her mind and soul are being torn apart between the voice of love and the voice of obedience. During the play, the intensification of her disease coincides with the change in the degree of her deliverance from their impact. Hamlet is also lucid when speaking to his mother, moments before killing Polonius. By killing Polonius, Hamlet must accept the fact that he will be immediately dispatched to England, making it more difficult for him to progress in his plan for revenge against Claudius.
(PDF) The Feigned Madness of Ulysses and Hamlet: A Derridean Reading of Cartesian Cogito
Hamlet goes through different stages of insanity throughout the story, but his neurotic and skeptical personality amplifies his persona of seeming insane to the other characters. However, besides this deliberate assumption of the mask of lunacy, there is a reality. Also, he presents two symptoms namely restlessness or feeling on the edge and irability" Character Analysis of Hamlet, Psychological Disorders, Sept. Hamlet, the title character discovers that his uncle killed his father and married his mother effectively stealing the throne. Madness And Madness In Hamlet Madness. It further allows him the freedom to transgress the rules of etiquettes and obedience, and thus become a critical and sardonic commentator on the actions of the other characters. The image of Ophelia, naïve and honest, serves as the confirmation of the idea that any simple-minded and open-hearted person will become a victim of the world of crimes and lies, intrigues and deceit.
Hamlet's Insanity: Appearance vs Reality in Shakespeare's Play: [Essay Example], 2613 words GradesFixer
Many times throughout the play, Hamlet directly or indirectly says that he will put on an antic disposition. Unlike Ophelia, Hamlet is constantly thinking and rationalizing his possible actions. These effects go largely unrecognized by everyone except those going through the loss. Perhaps the most obvious example is Claudius. The mask of both real and feigned madness enables the characters to freely express their minds and follow the call of their hearts. After getting orders from his father Polonius, Ophelia tells Hamlet that she wishes to return the tokens of love he got from him. He didn't actually "say" anything on this occasion, but his actions clearly indicate his supposed madness: He took me by the wrist, and held me hard; Then goes he to the length of his arm; And with his other hand thus o'er his brow, He falls to such persual of my face As he would draw it.
