The Madness of One

(Hamlet, 2.2.146-51)

Hamlet, prince of Denmark, is the tragic center of William Shakespeare's brilliant play of the same name. For centuries, he has confused audiences. Perceived as being mad by some and as feigning a mental weakness by others, Hamlet is not at all what he seems to be.

The climate that surrounds him is one of madness itself -- believed to be one thing, when in truth, something quite different. On the surface, order is restored. A new king is found, but a peaceful transfer of power is hardly the case.

In reality, the order within Elsinore is at its most distorted, with regicide shifting the line of succession, and an unnatural bond between Claudius and Gertrude the result. In an unfortunate way, Hamlet is the embodiment of the madness that swirls about, and as he moves from sanity to insanity, from control to a lack of, he rivals the plot itself. Clarity and distortion are coupled, with the only possible conclusion being the finality to it all.

The instability of the new kingdom is seen in the instability of the mind. Though Hamlet feigns his madness to diver his foes, he is at some point, overwhelmed by his enterprise.

Madness can be portrayed, but does not the actor sometimes become lost in it? For instance, let us take the player that Hamlet meets in Act II -- "What's Hecuba to him, or he to Hecuba,/ That he should weep for her? What would he do/ Had he the motive and the cue for passion/ That I have?" (2.2.536-9).

Role playing allows the individual to become the character, and when in the role, is it possible that he/she surrenders to that role? Hamlet feigns madness, yes, but what has been asked for centuries is, is it possible that he is so convincing in his mad portrayal because somehow, he has lost himself within it?

In an analysis of Hamlet’s madness, or lack thereof, it is important to analyze those around him. Claudius notes -- "It shall be so./ Madness in great ones must not unwatched go" (3.1.186-7). Indeed, Claudius fears Hamlet's mental state, but he also refers to him as a "great" one, meaning that he sees something within Hamlet that points to a greater purpose.