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The Importance Of Madness In Hamlet

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In Hamlet, William Shakespeare’s main character, the Prince of Denmark slowly descends into madness. To decide if he should kill his uncle and stepfather, Hamlet chooses to go through the motions of insanity to spy on the King and avoid suspicion. Through overthinking his grand scheme to kill or not, Hamlet creates immense confusion within himself over where the divide of right and wrong falls, and in the end he does not have to fake his madness for he has truly lost his sanity. Throughout the play, the Prince of Denmark impulsively decides his plan of action against his uncle, yet once he attempts to follow through with his plan he begins to overthink his choices. After his first sighting and quick discussion with the ghost of his father, Hamlet immediately decides to avenge his late father. Instead of remaining skeptic to the ghost, the Prince wastes no time before choosing his master plan, saying, “As I perchance hereafter shall think meet / To put an antic disposition,” (1.5.191-192). By quickly deciding his plan, Hamlet gives himself no time to produce another option for himself, thus beginning his obsessive overthinking. Through believing he has no other alternative than revenge, Hamlet continually questions his opportunities to avoid continuing on. In his contemplation, the Prince questions if suicide was an option for him, asking, “That is the question— / Whether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer / The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, / Or to take

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