Hamlet- Sane or Insane? ? ? In Shakespeare’s play Hamlet the main character Hamlet experiences many different and puzzling emotions. He toys with the idea of killing himself and then plays with the idea of murdering others. Many people ask themselves who or what is this man and what is going on inside his head. The most common question asked about him is whether or not he is sane or insane. Although the door seems to swing both ways many see him as a sane person with one thought on his mind, and that is revenge.
The first point of his sanity is while speaking with Horatio in the beginning of the play, secondly is the fact of his wittiness with the other characters and finally, his soliloquy. After talking with the ghost, Hamlet, comes back to Horatio and Marcellus and tries to explain to them never to let anyone know what has happened. Both are very scared but agree to the prince’s, but both are still looking to find out what happened between the ghost and him. Further on in the evening Hamlet takes Horatio to the side and explains to him that no matter how odd he acted that Horatio say nothing. (And therefore as a stranger-you most need help you Act 1 sc 5 line 187-202) He basically explained to Horatio that he was going to be acting much differently than normal, and he told him not to ask questions. This here proves he knew what he was going to have to do.
The Essay on Hamlet Horatio Revenge Speed
Haste me to know't, that I with wings as swift As meditation or the thoughts of love May sweep to to my revenge. This is Hamlet's immediate statement of revenge upon learning from the Ghost that his father's death was the result of murder. Hamlet's immediate reaction to the demands of revenge is that he will act upon it with the proverbial speed of thought. The irony is that Hamlet does not ...
It shows that he was willing to get his revenge by any way possible. The second point showing his sanity is the fact that he was able to match wits with the other characters in the play. If he was an insane person why would he plan a way to let Claudius know that he knows about the death of his father. Most insane people don’t have the mind for that type of thing, but he was able to do it. He was able to let Claudius know without saying a word. He had the players act it out for him and what a job they did to let him know.
He even knows when his good friends, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, show up that they are they to spy and find information about him to give to the king. (Act 2 sc 2 Line 293-298).
If he was insane why would he recognize the fact that his friends are turning on him. The final point to prove that he was a sane person through out the play is his famous soliloquy (Act 3 sc 1 line 64-98).
At this point in the play he should be thinking about the outcome, but instead he contemplates weather it is better to be alive or dead. Is it nobler to fight his troubles and end them or to die? He asks himself if it is better to be asleep forever, or suffer the pains of life. He talks about when we sleep we dream and what happens if there is a bad dream and you can’t getup. He dreads of something after death and wants to know if he should suffer his sorrows, which he is used to, or travel to the unknown and kill the king, but he is afraid of the unknown.
He believes that a conscience is bad and that all it does is make a coward of all, conscience makes cowards of us and clouds instinct. He then realizes he is too intelligent to do this. To summarize his thoughts, he has basically said why do we choose to live when death is an easy response to misery, but he answers his own question and then goes on to describe his burden but then sees what his action of revenge must be. Does an insane person go through this type of mental thought.
Most think not, showing that he is well witted and knows what life is and what he must do. Insane, no, more or less a manic depressant. One with a quick change of mood, not in and out of sanity. In conclusion, Hamlet wasn’t a person who was insane.
The Term Paper on The Death Penalty And Deterrence As Public Policy
The Death Penalty and Deterrence as Public Policy Every time a death penalty case arises, and the time comes for the convict, thousands of people across the nation support the punishment as well as protest the punishment. This issue does not have any proponents of a particular group. People are much split on this subject, regardless of race, background, age, gender, and other variables that ...
He proved he was sane by finally getting revenge for his father. Hamlet is a character of thought and power. Although easily swayed by his own mind he still portrayed a man with a intelligent mind. He can be considered sane because he has a very complex way of thought, one of which an insane person couldn’t operate.
Just because of his quick mood changes you can’t classify him as insane more or less a simple manic depressant. Sanity… hmmm, it can drive you insane trying to figure it out.
