Hamlet Sane or Insane free essay sample

Hamlet-Sane or Insane In the book Hamlet by William Shakespeare, Hamlet comes off as a sane character pretending to be insane. In order to come up with a conclusion, one must know the real definition of sane and insane because in today’s day the word â€Å"insane† is used very loosely. Hamlets actions towards certain characters in the book can tell you that he may really just be a sane acting insane. To his credit Hamlet’s sanity remains unknown, but it is well guessed that Hamlet’s sanity has changed throughout the book just to confuse the reader. We know that in the book Hamlet, Hamlet is disgusted and depressed about the whole fact that his mother has gotten remarried to his uncle Claudius right after his father’s death. This obviously has bothered Hamlet and has put him in a not so stable mind set, which can show us that his father’s death can be the main reason why Hamlet acting the way he is. We will write a custom essay sample on Hamlet Sane or Insane or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page When Hamlet first came off as a character â€Å"pretending† to be insane was in Act 1 Scene 5. After the ghost of King Hamlet tells Hamlet Claudius is the one who murdered his father, Hamlet begins to plan his next step.Here, he warns his friends that he will put on an antic disposition, which results in the delay of Hamlets revenge. â€Å"How strange or odd soeer I bear myself, As I perchance hereafter shall think meet To put an antic disposition on†, which means clown act to pretend to be a madman. This shows that Hamlet is saying himself that he is just acting crazy. Then later on in Act 2 Hamlet starts looking and acting very strange towards Ophelia. Ophelia tells her father Polonius what hamlet has done. My lord, as I was sewing in my closet, Lord Hamlet, with his doublet all unbraced; No hat upon his head; his stockings fould, Ungarterd, and down-gyved to his ancle;Pale as his shirt; his knees knocking each other; And with a look so piteous in purport As if he had been loosed out of hell To speak of horrors,—he comes before me. † He took me by the wrist and held me hard; Then goes he to the length of all his arm;And, with his other hand thus oer his brow, He falls to such perusal of my face As he would draw it.Long stayd he so; At last, a little shaking of mine arm And thrice his head thus waving up and down, He raised a sigh so piteous and profound As it did seem to shatter all his bulk And end his being: that done, he lets me go: And, with his head over his shoulder turnd, He seemd to find his way without his eyes; For out o doors he went without their helps, And, to the last, bended their light on me. † (Act 2 Scene 1). Ophelia and Polonius are now all convinced Hamlet has gone insane and as the reader you may think so as well but this is all part of Hamlets plan. If Hamlet really were going insane Hamlet would not have the right intelligence to come up with such a good plan and think it through. Hamlet would not be aware of what he is doing if he really were insane but Hamlet is very cautious of what is going on, especially knowing what Claudius’s plan is on sending Rosencratz and Guildenstern to spy on Hamlet (Act 2 Scene 2) â€Å"I am but mad north-north-west: when the wind is southerly I know a hawk from a handsaw. † Hamlet is telling them he knows what they were sent for.