Hamlet's Insanity Of Madness

At the fanatical conclusion of Hamlet, we witness the deaths of almost all of the main characters, including Hamlet himself. Their deaths here are the results of a series of unfortunate events inevitably transpiring against them, set in motion by none other than human nature. In light of the situation, it appears that Hamlet’s ponderings on the unnecessity of suffering are justified. While the fear of the unknown is very real, the final release from struggles can be considered ultimate success. When confronted with the momentous decision over life, it is a sensible kind of madness that drives the individual into the unknowns of death. It is first and forthright that we must consider the possibility that Hamlet committed an indirect form of …show more content…
This leads to the examination of Hamlet’s “guise” of madness. It is true that Hamlet appears sane in many of the scenes in the play, but he also willing puts on a show of insanity as a part of his disguise to evade Claudius. Yet, this display of insanity is itself a testament to Hamlet’s intelligent and complex nature. For Hamlet to pursue revenge for his father in such a calculating and devoted manner requires a touch of madness in the soul. Most certainly, Hamlet was willing to die to complete his goals, but the answer to why this was the case lies in his relative insanity. We can check the verity of this assertion by inspecting the character of Ophelia, who became quite mad herself. In the case of Ophelia, she became insane after having learned of her father’s death, but most differently from the situation of Hamlet, she was unable to do anything about it. It is made clear in all of Ophelia’s presences during the play, for example when she acquiesces to Polonius, responding “I shall obey my lord,” that she is an extremely dependent character who has very little ability to think and make decisions on her own (1.4.145). Thus, with no options or actions to take to relieve the despairs and pangs of life, she could only find solace with …show more content…
After all, he would not have wanted to quickly leave one life of suffering only to incur an eternity of it. Instead, Hamlet allows himself to be drawn into a situation which he knows he can manipulate to his advantage. Even though he fully comprehends that his life is the price, his insanity combined with his desires for revenge lead him to willingly chose the path into darkness. It is therefore evident that madness provides the necessary driving force to overcome the barrier of fear and allows people to jump to unknown oceans from crumbling mountains. In a way then, Hamlet’s madness for revenge is what ultimately permits him to walk to his own death on that fateful day. Luckily enough for him, he had the means to take action, and did not have to resort to taking his own