Is Hamlet MadEssay Preview: Is Hamlet MadReport this essayIn William Shakespeares play, Hamlet, we meet an interesting character named Hamlet. His father is killed and he finds out it was his uncle who murdered him. This, among other events, is believed to drive Hamlet insane. But he is not insane, he merely puts on an act because he craves attention, and is really quite sane. There are little incidents that tell the truth of his state of mind. He plans ahead, before doing something important. He acts in a calm and rational manner (most of the time) when planning, and when carrying out this plan, acts irrational. Everything he does is done for a viable reason; there is a purpose to what he does and why he does it. Also, Hamlet is aware of what is going on around him, something someone insane would not see.
The Myth
Hamlet and his family are a wealthy family. He has family and lands in Wales, England. The family is considered a country of aristocrats. He had his own private estate when he was younger, though he is said to have sold his land, and moved away with his wife. It should be noted that such a move was not seen as something out of place. He moved away from his parents; the family had already left because his parents were too busy growing crops, selling drugs, living in different homes, etc., to actually buy back his lands, especially the farmlands where he is from. In fact, while many people do see things that appear out of place, there are very few who remember how important that is. But, perhaps, his family did it because he was a poor man trying to gain money, not as a “good and lucky gentleman.”
Hamlet’s parents do not, of course, like his wealthy cousins, even if they were a lot wealthier than a lot of the noble Lords. When Hamlet was a little boy, his father would give him free land. When Hamlet was twelve years old, he was the heir to a land in the county of London (London and Cheshire was the original birthplace). These land holdings were called land. Hamlet could sell this land for less than that. This would eventually lead the family to buy the land. Even if Hamlet had been at that age, his inheritance would be far wealthier than now, and the inheritance would be all the richer after he died.
It would be a shame, as well, if his grand-nephew was no longer alive. All Hamlet could do is get money and leave. But then his parents had no idea of what he wanted. He sold his land and would never have been able to make money back; now he would have to go find out what he wanted from his family, and be financially secure.
So, Hamlet did buy the land, but he did sell it for less. Not only were his parents not worried, they thought that maybe they’d sell it because Hamlet had not got the land he wanted. He may have paid his last cent to sell the land, but his last cent was all he can pay now, and that could have led his family to sell it for much more than Hamlet had paid for it.
Finally, for an example of the way Hamlet acts, the story of Hamlet’s life begins with this quote. In the beginning he gives his last wishes:
“My house is empty, and my children should be fed. I went to bed well before daybreak. The maid had come and sat by the door when I went away, and there appeared to be a stranger who passed in waiting for me.” (Quarterly London 1815, quoted at the end of this poem.)
This story could be interpreted as saying that Hamlet’s father wanted to come and tell his story, but his mother wanted him to tell her son’s story, which was already told by her older brother
The Myth
Hamlet and his family are a wealthy family. He has family and lands in Wales, England. The family is considered a country of aristocrats. He had his own private estate when he was younger, though he is said to have sold his land, and moved away with his wife. It should be noted that such a move was not seen as something out of place. He moved away from his parents; the family had already left because his parents were too busy growing crops, selling drugs, living in different homes, etc., to actually buy back his lands, especially the farmlands where he is from. In fact, while many people do see things that appear out of place, there are very few who remember how important that is. But, perhaps, his family did it because he was a poor man trying to gain money, not as a “good and lucky gentleman.”
Hamlet’s parents do not, of course, like his wealthy cousins, even if they were a lot wealthier than a lot of the noble Lords. When Hamlet was a little boy, his father would give him free land. When Hamlet was twelve years old, he was the heir to a land in the county of London (London and Cheshire was the original birthplace). These land holdings were called land. Hamlet could sell this land for less than that. This would eventually lead the family to buy the land. Even if Hamlet had been at that age, his inheritance would be far wealthier than now, and the inheritance would be all the richer after he died.
It would be a shame, as well, if his grand-nephew was no longer alive. All Hamlet could do is get money and leave. But then his parents had no idea of what he wanted. He sold his land and would never have been able to make money back; now he would have to go find out what he wanted from his family, and be financially secure.
So, Hamlet did buy the land, but he did sell it for less. Not only were his parents not worried, they thought that maybe they’d sell it because Hamlet had not got the land he wanted. He may have paid his last cent to sell the land, but his last cent was all he can pay now, and that could have led his family to sell it for much more than Hamlet had paid for it.
Finally, for an example of the way Hamlet acts, the story of Hamlet’s life begins with this quote. In the beginning he gives his last wishes:
“My house is empty, and my children should be fed. I went to bed well before daybreak. The maid had come and sat by the door when I went away, and there appeared to be a stranger who passed in waiting for me.” (Quarterly London 1815, quoted at the end of this poem.)
This story could be interpreted as saying that Hamlet’s father wanted to come and tell his story, but his mother wanted him to tell her son’s story, which was already told by her older brother
Hamlet plans ahead before doing certain tasks. When the acting company comes along, Hamlet talks to himself discussing that the play will bring about the conscience of the killer. He thinks of a play where a man is killed by someone close, something that resembles Hamlets fathers murder. This was not done in a state of insanity, and it was not spurr-of-the-moment idea. Hamlet thought this through and planned it out ahead. People insane do not think to plan ahead and do not act in rational manner. When Hamlet does act irrationally, it is in front of people; it is as if Hamlet wants the world to think he is insane. But maybe his reason for acting insane is legitamite.
Many of Hamlets actions are done for a viable reason. He does not go off and do random acts of violence or anything of the sort. When Hamlet was going to kill Claudius the first time, he stopped himself, because Claudius was in confession. If Hamlet had killed him there, all of Cladius sins would have been wiped away, and Hamlet feared sending him to heaven, so he would wait for a better time to kill Claudius. When Hamlet was arguing with his mother and Polonius approaches, Hamlet assumes it was the King. They scuffle, and Hamlet stabs Polonius. Hamlet thought it was the King, a viable reason, just not true.
The most important reason to prove Hamlets sanity is that he is aware of what is going on around him. He knows what he has done and understands what has happened. When the advancing army comes, he knows it is stupid to fight and die, especially for the reason why they are coming. When he gets struck by the poison sword, he knows he is going to die, and