Essay About Shakespeares Hamlet And Hamlets Way

Sanity: Boundaries of the Mind
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Sanity: Boundaries of the Mind
The mind is a beautiful thing. The boundaries that someone can extend their
rationality is different in each and every person. In Shakespeares Hamlet, the
balance of sanity and madness is tested. Hamlets way of thinking is changed,
but in a way that his personality is only a front. By looking at the different
events that Hamlet overcame, we can observe the passion for acting that many
readers do not come across; knowing the importance of acting is imperative when
questioning Hamlets sanity, since he is only acting insane, and is rational and
in control of himself throughout the play.
For those who do not recall the story of Hamlet, this play is one of revenge,
scandal, and lies. Hamlet, the prince of Denmark, is living a life that one
would not want to live. His father, the King, was murdered by his brother, who
is now married to Hamlets mother. Hamlet beings his brilliant acting and
conniving when he learns that he must avenge his fathers murder. Not only does
Hamlet fool his family when acting insane, but the genius of his work has fooled
critics all along.
As the play begins, the ever popular question “Whos there?” “Betrays the
insecurity of Hamlets world” (Salkeld and Shakespeare). Starting the play with
a question was pure genius on Shakespeares part; the symbolism of the
questionable state of Denmark which is “in a state of shock and confusion,”
along with the people in it, leads the readers right into the questionably
unstable life of Hamlet (Salkeld, Strachey). In act I, scene V of the play, the
audience learns of the “antic disposition” that Hamlet will be putting on
(Shakespeare). In this scene, he tells the audience that he plans to act insane
in order to get away with killing Claudius. He believes that by acting insane no
one will suspect him of doing anything such as that. To many critics the “whole
conduct of Hamlets madness is too ludicrous” and in fact he has really gone mad
( Stubbers). For Hamlet to come out and say that he is planning to act insane
is, on the other hand, “purely and adequately a man of genius” (Strachey).
Hamlets ability to imitate someone who is insane is astonishing. His ability to
do so is what has confused readers and critics. Not only can his sanity be seen,
but throughout different scenes his control and stability shine through.
When Hamlet comes up with the idea to put on a play, which he calls The
“Mouse-trap” the readers can see that under the complete ciaos there is a
brilliant mind at work. All along Hamlet had been trying to prove that Claudius
has killed King Hamlet and the play was the perfect way to do it. The
“Mouse-trap” is about the murder of a king, meant to be King Hamlet, and the
murder was of a king dying by poison being put into his ear, exactly the way
that Claudius had killed King Hamlet. Hamlet wanted to see the guilty reaction
of Claudius and hope that everyone would then know the truth. In act III scene
ii, Hamlet is discussing the play with the actors. From the beginning of the
play, Hamlet has been acing insane, and this moment shows that excellent acting
ability. Before the play commences, Hamlet is giving the players tips and advice
on acting and how the play should be read. He tells the players to “Speak the
speech I pray you as pronounced it to you, /trippingly in the tongue, but if you
mouth it as many of/your players do, I had as life the town-crier spoke
my/lines” (Shakespeare). What he is trying to emphasize is that he want them to
make the play very believable and as real as possible. Hamlet is trying to make
the play come to life in a way that people can see that the actors are
portraying real life. After Hamlet gives the players the lesson, a question
comes to mind; what would Hamlet know about acting? When Hamlet starts giving
the players tips and advice about how to act, it shows that he knows a lot more
about the art of acting than nay one anticipated of game him credit for. As the
play proceeds, Hamlet becomes fixed on the reaction of Claudius. When the Player
Claudius pours poison in the ear of the Player King, Claudius stands and asks
for lights. He cannot believe what he is seeing. In the film directed by Franco
Zeffirelli, Mel Gibson plays the role of Hamlet and this scene shows the horror
in Claudiuss face beautifully. In this film, Claudius appears as though he had
seen a ghost. His eyes became full of thought and emotion and his demeanor
changed from very dignified to be wildered. He seemed lost and confused with
what he had just witnessed (Zeffirelli). Hamlets ability to control