Madness, Betrayal, And Madness In William Shakespeares...

William Shakespeare’s Hamlet is a tragic tale filled with madness, betrayal, and revenge. The treacherous death of King Hamlet leads to a series of events that causes Hamlet to present an â€Å"antic disposition† to deceive the people around him and avenge his father’s death. However, beneath his methodical and logical mind, there is an underlying current of mental instability. Although at first he feels that the idea of an act of madness is a good one, it becomes clear throughout the play that even Hamlet begins to doubt his own sanity. Shakespeare depicts Hamlet’s fragile mental state which transitions from a clever mask of madness into a genuine madness that is exacerbated by his family issues and obsessive behavior. In the first act, Hamlet†¦show more content†¦His questions are answered when the ghost tells him that his father was murdered by his uncle. After receiving this knowledge, Hamlet decides â€Å"to put an antic disposition on† (Shakespeare 1.5.173) which proves that Hamlet is not mad because it is a calculated move. In order for Hamlet to find out if his uncle truly murdered his father without becoming suspicious, he would need a cover up, and what is a better cover up than pretending that you are mad? The people around would not question his actions, nor would they question his words. By the end of first act, it is clear that Hamlet is not mad. Hamlet’s act of madness is initially presented through Act 2 which reveals the intellect in Hamlet’s process of thought by his clever manipulation of other characters’ belief about him. Hamlet’s act is divulged by Ophelia, and she reports her Hamlet’s abnormal behavior to Polonius who says â€Å"This is the very ecstasy of love† (Shakespeare 2.1.100). This is the beginning of Hamlet’s masterful plan to divert the other characters’ attention away from his true intentions of revealing his uncle’s guilt as he convinces Polonius that his madness stems from his love for Ophelia. When Polonius confronts Hamlet for the confirmation of his madness, he speaks on the side and says â€Å"Though this be madness, yet there is a method in’t†Show MoreRelatedThe Tragedy Of Hamlet By William Shakespeare Essay1334 Words   |  6 PagesIn William Shakespeare’s, The Tragedy of Hamlet, each character stands out in unique ways. Madness is one of the crucial themes as Shakespeare depicts the chaotic turbulence in the Hamlet family and the court of Denmark. Though she is generally read as a minor character, Ophelia’s madness reveals the struggle of the female character that attempts to have a voice of her own. 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