|
|
Hamlet Hamlet is not a madman. In the play Hamlet is portrayed as a madman, but if you are careful you will realize that his madness is just an act. Hamlet is a Prince of Denmark; he is living with his uncle, Claudius, the new King of Denmark, and his Queen mother, Gertrude. While living with these people, Hamlet’s friends come to him, talking about a ghost who looks like his late father, the old King of Denmark. When Hamlet hears this he makes up his mind to see it. When Hamlet does see it, the ghost beckons Hamlet to follow it. When Hamlet and the ghost are alone, it reveals itself as Hamlets father. He tells Hamlet how his brother, Claudius kills him. Hamlet upon hearing this swears revenge, but he wants to be sure that this ghost is not lying, so he pretends to be mad to get the information he needs to convict Claudius, and have the right for revenge. This essay will show proof that Hamlet is not a madman. In Act I, Scene V; Lines 170-180, Hamlet tells Horatio “… Here, as before, never, so help you mercy, how strange or odd soe’er I bear myself, as I perchance hereafter shall think meet to put an antic disposition on, …”. This tells the reader plainly that Hamlet is putting on an act. In this quote we have two words, antic disposition, these two words stand for, strange (insane) behaviour.
|
