Madness in Hamlet

The story of Hamlet centers around the character of the same name. In this tale of woe, murder, death, and revenge, we will study the minds of two pivotal characters. Hamlet and Ophelia, and how the circumstances of their lives led to their actions, whether violent to others or themselves. We must ask ourselves: Were these characters truly mad? If so, what drove their minds to crack? 

Our main character, Prince Hamlet, is established as a truth-seeking character with a heightened curiosity, wanting to know the who, what, where, and why of all things. We know this because it is stated that he attended the University of Wittenberg, which is famous for its studies in philosophy and theology. So when Prince Hamlet’s father, King Hamlet, dies unexpectedly, the prince is distraught to be without answers. Meanwhile, his uncle has taken the throne along with Hamlet’s mother, Gertrude, to be his queen. In Hamlet’s desperation to know the reason for his father's untimely death, he follows his comrades, who state they have seen the ghost of his father. When the ghost appears, he relays to him, “The serpent that did sting thy father’s life, now wears his crown” (Shakespeare). 

Tormented by this new information, Hamlet is unsure whether to believe the words of the ghost or if the ghost itself is a vision of madness within his mind. Blakemore states, “The conflict between his moral obligation not to kill and his thirst for revenge intensifies his inner turmoil, further deteriorating his mental state” (Medium.com). With these conflicting thoughts of guilt, blame, murder, doubt, and revenge, Hamlet has become erratic in his actions. Often speaking in long and dizzying monologues. He claims that his lover's father, Polonius, is a fishmonger, and he himself a poor beggar. 

Yet Hamlet confesses the reason for his madness, stating, “It is not very strange; for my uncle is King of Denmark, and those that would make mouths at him while my father lived give twenty, forty, fifty, a hundred ducats apiece for his picture in little. ’Sblood, there is something in this more than natural, if philosophy could find it out” (Shakespeare). Though is he truly mad if he can admit such a thing? Or is he simply acting mad as a means to discover the truth about his uncle? Vasian Hasani states, “Shakespeare presents Hamlet as a character who strategically uses madness as a mask to deceive others, allowing him to express his thoughts and observations freely. This portrayal raises questions about the authenticity of madness and its potential as a tool for manipulation” (Medium.com). 

It has been well established that he and Ophelia are deeply in love, but when she moves to comfort him with the remembrances of his father, he lashes out with hostility towards her. Shouting “Get thee to a nunnery. Why wouldst thou be a breeder of sinners? I am myself indifferent honest, but yet I could accuse me of such things that it were better my mother had not borne me: I am very proud, revengeful, ambitious, with more offenses at my beck than I have thoughts to put them in, imagination to give them shape, or time to act them in. What should such fellows as I do crawling between earth and heaven? We are arrant knaves all; believe none of us. Go thy ways to a nunnery” (Shakespeare). Yet Ophelia has done nothing to Prince Hamlet to deserve such treatment. She has been faithful, loving, and caring. The Royal Shakespeare Company states “through Hamlet’s words and actions, Shakespeare explores the complexity of the human reaction to grief, betrayal and mental anguish”. 

So why would the prince act in such a manner if not driven mad by the words of his ghostly father? He doubts the validity of the ghost's claim, yet cannot think of a way to prove it is just. After meeting with his comrades, he devises a plan to uncover the truth. To determine his Uncle’s guilt, Hamlet prepares the play “The Mousetrap”, which depicts the murder of a king by his nephew, mirroring the events described by the ghost. Hamlet’s uncle, Claudius, reacts strongly to the play, storming out of the theater when the king is killed. This is assurance in the mind of Hamlet that his uncle is guilty of the crime. Though when he moves to kill him, he pauses. His uncle is praying, and Hamlet fears that killing him during such an act would send his soul to heaven, which would negate the purpose of his revenge.

We start to see the beginnings of madness in the character Ophelia, driven mad by a series of severe emotional shocks and tragedies that befall her. Her once-loved Hamlet, who had been nothing but sweet and kind to her, has turned wild and angry seemingly without reason. Punishing her with cruel words, violent acts, and blatant disregard. With her brother, Laertes, in Denmark, Ophelia has only her father, Polonius, to keep her sane. Though Hamlet, in an attempt to sneak up on his uncle, accidentally kills Ophelia’s father. This causes her mind to crumble under the immense emotional turmoil. She begins to speak in only metaphorical terms, stating “Well, God dild you. They say the owl was a baker’s daughter. Lord, we know what we are but know not what we may be. God be at your table” (Shakespeare). 

Ophelia eventually succumbs to the madness, taking her own life as her only means to escape it. Barbara Hort from The Denver Center for the Performing Arts states, “Eventually, Ophelia dies under disquieting circumstances that could be construed either as intentional suicide, or as the kind of unintentional suicide that can result from extreme psychotic disorientation” (Hort). 

If one acts a certain way for a long enough time, it is sure to become true. At the funeral of Ophelia, Hamlet’s act of madness becomes clear to the truth. It is no longer an act, though for how long, we do not know for certain. In his rage over his lover's death, he states, “loved you ever. But it is no matter. Let Hercules himself do what he may, the cat will mew, and dog will have his day” (Shakespeare). 

The madness of Prince Hamlet serves as a cautionary tale. For with a deep desire for revenge, one may cause irreversible harm. Jimmy Blakemore states, “Hamlet’s descent into madness serves as a cautionary tale, emphasizing the destructive power of unchecked emotional turmoil” (Medium.com). The play Hamlet will forever be timeless as a reminder of the importance of understanding and addressing one's emotional and mental health amid a corrupt and disordered world. 

Works Cited

Blakemore, Jimmy. Madness in Hamlet: A Tragic Exploration of the Human Psyche, 

Medium.com, 31 Dec. 2023, medium.com/readers-digests/madness-in-hamlet-a-tragic-exploration-of-the-human-psyche-026434d2b002. 

Branagh, Kenneth, et al., actor. Hamlet. Written by William Shakespeare, Warner Bros., 1996.

Hasani, Vasian. How does Shakespeare present the idea of madness in Hamlet?, Medium.com, 

22 May 2023, medium.com/@vasianhasani/how-does-shakespeare-present-the-idea-of-madness-in-hamlet-88833d18091b. 

Hort, Barbara. Death and Madness, Truth and Meaning: The Demands of Destiny in the Story of 

Hamlet, Denver Center for the Performing Arts, 11 Sept. 2024, www.denvercenter.org/news-center/death-and-madness-truth-and-meaning-the-demands-of-destiny-in-the-story-of-hamlet/. 

Madness in Hamlet, Royal Shakespeare Company, 

www.rsc.org.uk/hamlet/about-the-play/madness-in-hamlet. 

Shakespeare, William. Hamlet, Folger Shakespeare Library, 1600, 

www.folger.edu/explore/shakespeares-works/hamlet/read/.