Hamlet By William Shakespeare 's Hamlet

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 his journey by seeking revenge against Claudius after discovering that his noble father was murdered by his own uncle. Hamlet is a character whose actions and emotions may seem like one of an insane person, however, in the beginning of the play, it is clear that he decides to fake madness in order to gain an advantage over Claudius. This would aid in him in accomplishing his revenge. Hamlet is sane throughout the play: he only shows signs of insanity in front of certain people whom he does not trust. However, even they believe that his madness is not sheer madness but has a reason to it. Hamlet’s character is sane as in the play his rationality is shown through the logic and intelligence he uses in his plots. He usually calculates his movements and his impulsive acts are justified. While there are reasons to believe that many of the hardships could have driven Hamlet to the point of insanity, his display of intelligence and rational thinking throughout the play proves his sanity.

In this play “Hamlet” written by William Shakespeare, there are many soliloquies that are said by Hamlet to depict various meanings of his thoughts, feelings, and actions that are inside of him. More specifically the soliloquy in Act 3, Scene 1, in lines 57-91 starts off with the famous saying known as “To be, or not to be”. Throughout this soliloquy, Hamlet is asking himself the question of whether it is better to live or not to live. In life, we are faced with many situations where we feel the need to give up our life and not face the problems. Only by facing all the troubles, will a person become stronger and more courageous to handle anything in life. By believing in one’s self, can man have the courage to follow what they think is right. Killing yourself or giving up is never a solution in life. This soliloquy reveals Hamlet’s fearful personality by showing that his decision-making process is slow and that he fears risks or uncertainty. These character traits are depicted thoroughly by Hamlet throughout the play.

The male characters in Hamlet continually abuse both Ophelia and Gertrude, physically and psychologically, as a pathetic attempt to gain power and control over the situation. One of the greatest examples of psychological abuse comes from the harrowing scene where Hamlet and Ophelia have their final conversation before Hamlet leaves for England. During this rage-induced altercation, Hamlet refuses to accept Ophelia’s returning of the gifts previously given to her from him, saying “I never gave you aught” (3.1.97). Ophelia is appalled as Hamlet continues to insult her and laugh in her face. In the climax of the argument, Hamlet tells Ophelia that she “should not have believed me; for virtue cannot so inoculate our old stock but we shall relish of it: I loved you not” (3.1.117-119). The immense amount of psychological damage received by Ophelia between the addition and removal of love by Hamlet and her father’s death is enough to drive anyone to madness. David M. Smith recounts this as Hamlet’s necessity “to genuine outsideness because of the danger of being co-opted by love” (Smith, 1). However, Hamlet no longer needed to protect himself in his situation. His actions from this scene were not only uncalled for, but added to the slow mental demise of his sweet Ophelia. Hamlet’s next scene of abuse come shortly after this when he goes to speak to Gertrude about her participation in the murder of Old Hamlet. His rage, yet again, takes over, but this time he adopts physical abuse

Almost every story involves a conflict between hero and villain. In some stories, there is a plot twist where the hero is also the villain—but in Hamlet, there are no heroes and many villains. In Hamlet, every character has lied, kept secrets or is seeking revenge that leads to a tragic ending at every corner, but what we fail to see is who the true villain is. Looking at the character of Hamlet throughout the play, it is easier to spot his many dishonorable actions than his few honorable ones.

Hamlet, a play written by William Shakespeare, is all about revenge. All is not well in Denmark where a king is murdered and his son is out to avenge him. The only two females in the play, Gertrude and Ophelia, are completely overlooked. The two have little role in the story and are only present when talking to one of the men. Gertrude lost her first husband and quickly remarried to his brother, Claudius. Her son, Hamlet, greatly despises her for it. Ophelia believes that she and Hamlet are in love and she is the cause of his madness. None of the men pay much attention to them unless they are being scolded or used in a plan. Ophelia and Gertrude have many similarities like how they do as they are told and are victims of Hamlet’s madness, yet are different like how they love Hamlet and how they react to death of a loved one.

Being indecisive means not showing or having the ability to make a decision. Not making a decision quickly and efficiently. In the book Hamlet, the main character, the prince of Denmark. Hamlet has shown that he is indecisive throughout the book. Hamlet shows that he is mostly indecisive when it comes to his father’s death, King Hamlet. Hamlet also doesn’t trust anybody. Hamlet can’t even trust his own family or his girlfriend. Hamlet has been acting like he is mad because he doesn’t want to confront people so he just acts like he is crazy. Hamlet always acts with an impulse, Hamlet can only show bravery when it doesn’t involve his family. Such as when his boat was attacked in England by pirates. At this point Hamlet just doesn’t know what to do with his life. Everything is moving too fast, like his mom getting married quick after his father’s death. Also the fact that Gertrude married Hamlets uncle is just too much for Hamlet right now.

In the play Hamlet by William Shakespeare, the character Hamlet must deal with both external and internal conflict. Hamlet encounters many struggles and has trouble finding a way to deal with them. With so many corrupt people in his life, Hamlet feels as if there is no one that he can trust and begins to isolate himself from others. A result from this isolation leads Hamlet to become melancholy. Hamlet struggles with suicidal thoughts, wants to kill King Claudius, and is distraught over his mother’s hasty marriage with his uncle Claudius.

Another thing that sets Hamlet over the edge is the fake friendship Rosencrantz and Guildenstern commence with Hamlet. King Claudius invites Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to the palace with selfish intentions. Claudius requests the men to investigate Hamlet by “get[ing] from him why he puts on this confusion, Grating so harshly all his days of quiet” (III.i.2-3). He wants them to figure out why he’s acting so dazed and confused, as well as ruining his own peace and quiet, while all along Hamlet is well aware of their true endeavors. During their attempts Hamlets says, “Call me what instrument you will, though you can fret me, yet you cannot play upon me” (III.ii.340-341). Hamlet compares deception to playing a musical instrument by making the comparison that his friends think that it is easier to manipulate him than an

The play Hamlet shows how, Humans are the most complex species on the planet earth. Ever since the history has been keeping records, we have seen how humans reacted under different circumstances. Human feelings are like a ripple effect. Many people are affected by the decisions they make. Humans could be either very cruel or show great compassion and kindness towards each other. The William Shakespeare’s tragedy Hamlet shows how human nature can be greedy, revengeful and cruel. All these sides of human nature are an example of the ripple effect caused by the decisions of an individual.

Third, Claudius covers his tracks by manipulating Hamlet’s college friends Guildenstern and Rosencrantz to make sure nobody knows his monstrous act. In the Act II, Scene II, he disguises his motives by pretending that he cares about Hamlet’s state of mind, but in truth he wants to gather information if Hamlet is just pretending and knows his crime. “It is to be observed that the King was shrewder than his minister (Polonius); he did not believe that Hamlet is crazy” (Snider, 80). This is the reason why Claudius summoned Hamlet’s college friends to get a different opinion about what is going on with Hamlet. Additionally, Claudius addresses Guildenstern and Rosencrantz upon their arrival, “That you vouchsafe your rest here in our court Some little time: so, by your companies to draw him on to pleasures, and to gather, so much as from occasion you may glean, whether aught, to us unknown, afflicts him thus, That, open'd, lies within our remedy” (“Shakespeare”, 1375). Lastly, Claudius deviously arranges for Hamlet to be in England as an emissary in hopes that Hamlet will get killed there. In Act IV, Scene IV, Claudius expresses his desire to eliminate the thorn in his throat and the threat to his kingship, “The present death of Hamlet. Do it, England; For like the hectic in my blood he rages, and thou must cure me: till I know 'tis done” (“Shakespeare”, 1414).

There are four different hypotheses about Hamlet’s insanity, or madness: (1) That Hamlet was perfectly sane, but only faked his insanity; (2) that Hamlet after his interview with the Ghost was more or less insane; (3) that Hamlet’s insanity was hidden, and was only fully developed after the courts play; (4) that Hamlet was neither insane, nor faking to be so. There is a lot of evidence in the play that Hamlet purposely faked his own madness in order to confuse and throw the king off about his plans and the places he will go. When talking to Horatio before they play, Hamlet says, “I must be idle” (III ii 85). 1 The definition of idle is to act foolishly or pretend to be crazy.

Rather than manipulating emotions like Claudius, Hamlet used intellect as a means of confusion and deceit. Throughout the play, it’s shown that no one really understands Hamlet like himself. His intellect is of a grandeur scale when comparing it to the likes of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. This meant that it was meant for nobody to figure Hamlet out as he was “acting madness”, as there was no one who could possibly do such a thing. While Polonius had caught on, saying; "Though this be madness, yet there is method in't." (2.2.203), he had assumed the wrong reasons. However, like Claudius, he viewed others as tools, namely, the tools of the other player: Claudius. His passionate quest for revenge had caused him to shut everyone out but Horatio, who was really the only person Hamlet trusted throughout the play. He viewed them as pawns of Claudius who were all out to stop Hamlet from avenging his father. Perhaps the most iconic and notable example of this is when he confronts Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. “’Sblood, do you think I am easier to be played on than a pipe? Call me what instrument you will, though you fret me, yet you cannot play upon me.” (3.2.354-356) Here Hamlet confirms for the pair that he does not trust them. He believes that his childhood friends are working with Claudius or are trying to exploit him for their own gain.

The play Hamlet, written by William Shakespeare, is set in an anti-feminist era. Women traditionally have been seen inferior to men. This was an intellectual as well as a physical issue. Women were to raise a family, cook, clean, be pretty and not be smarter than any man. The main characters Ophelia and Gertrude are both depicted with these characteristics as powerless and frail people. This illustration of helpless women affects one's understanding of what their true selves could be.

Shakespeare writes in a way that is difficult to understand for anyone that speaks the modern language. His story Hamlet is understood through the emotions felt by his characters. Hamlet is the main character who is conflicted with revenge and conspiring friendships. Hamlet returns home from Germany for his father’s funeral only to find far more troubling things. Hamlet is a conflicted character but that doesn’t stop him from knowing what he wants. Revenge is the main cause of his confliction but with great reason, which is important to understand about this play because it helps explain all the betrayal and tragedy.

William Shakespeare 's, Hamlet, written in the seventeenth century and first performed in 1602, is still a complex and intriguing play that encompasses many Jungian archetypes in relation to the setting and characters. This play was approximately four centuries old before Shakespeare reworked it for the stage. Hamlet is based on events involving the death of the King of Denmark according to the Norse legends. This paper deals with a small portion of the entirety of the events in Hamlet. Scholars continue to examine and reexamine this play. This paper does not attempt to explain the complex levels of this play or the totality of the meaning but rather to present one idea among many. Examining the characters through the filters of Doctor Carl Jung, Swiss psychiatrist, theories to explain the characters and their motivations is the goal of this analysis.