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Literature & Language
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Topic:
Hamlet and revenge
Essay Instructions:
3.One of the inevitable and time-honoured questions asked about Hamlet focuses on the question of his insanity, whether he has put on an "antic dispostion" or whether he is truly insane. Discuss whether you believe Hamlet is putting on an "antic disposition" or whether you believe he is truly insane. Consider the following questions in preparing your response, but do not answer them specifically.
a. What is sanity or insanity?
b. How people know whether they are sane or insane?
c. If an individual lives entirely on his or her own, how can that person determine whether she or he is insane or sane?
d. Does one have to be insane to take another person's life? To commit murder?
e. Is Hamlet sane or insane during this act of the play?
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Hamlet
One of the central themes in the play "Hamlet" by William Shakespeare is revenge. The main character, Hamlet, is out to avenge his father`s death. However, this task proves a huge challenge that requires extra-ordinary measures in order to accomplish. It is for this reason that Hamlet feigns madness in order to accomplish his mission (Mathison 2). Therefore, the thesis of this essay states that Hamlet feigns insanity and resorts to antic disposition in order to make his uncle confess killing his father.
The play opens with the murder of Hamlet`s father. Hamlet`s father has been the king of Denmark until his brother, Claudius, puts him to death. The death of King Hamlet devastates the son, Hamlet. When Claudius marries Hamlet`s mother, Hamlet becomes distraught and sets out for revenge. However, he has first to prove that indeed, Claudius is behind his father`s death. Matters come to a head when Hamlet realizes that the only proof he needs lies in Claudius` own confession of the heinous crime. Hamlet, therefore, has to pretend to be insane in order to drive Claudius, the new king of Denmark, to confess his guilt.
There are numerous instances in the play that point to Hamlet`s artificial madness. To begin with, Hamlet deftly plans to find out the truth for himself. The encounter with the ghost sets off Hamlet`s determination to figure out the truth about his father`s death. The ghost makes it clear that the new king of Denmark, Claudius, is the murderer. Consequently, Hamlet has to find a way of making the new king own up to the crime.
Hamlet declares to Horatio that he "must be idle" (3.2.85). Hamlet is laying down the groundwork in discovering the truth behind his father`s murder. He plans to enact a play on stage that will depict a man killing another one and taking over the throne as well as the bereaved wife. In the process, Hamlet makes it clear that he would deliberately act foolish in order to squeeze out a confession from Claudius (Nielsen 22). This shows that Hamlet is not actually insane, but he pretends to be in order to extract the truth from his father`s killer, King Claudius.
Secondly, Hamlet reveals to his best friend, Horatio that he would assume an antic disposition: "as a stranger give it welcome" (1.5.167). This is to trick his uncle into confessing to the murder of the fallen King Hamlet (Mathison 2). There is too much grief in Hamlet`s heart, considering that Claudius has not only grabbed the throne but has also married Hamlet`s mother, Gertrude. This is a double tragedy to Hamlet, so much so that he can hardly bear it. He says: "How strange or odd soe`er I bear myself,/ As I perchance hereafter shall think meet/ To put an antic disposition on" (1.5.58). Hamlet seems to be convinced that acting crazy would him to unravel the truth about his father`s murder.
Thirdly, Hamlet`s consciousness of his actions is a clear indication that he is not actually insane. In the course of the play, Laertes challenges Hamlet to a fencing match. However, there is more to this match than meets the eye. This is because Laertes` motive for the match is to kill Hamlet. Hamlet had accidentally killed Laertes` father, Polonius. Laertes has poisoned the tip of his sword so that should it come into conduct with Hamlet`s body, it would cause his death. After the fencing match, Hamlet forces Claudius to drink from the poisoned cup, leading to his death. Hamlet is also dying, and this realization causes him to bid farewell to his friend, Horatio, instructing him to tell t...
Course
Instructor
Date
Hamlet
One of the central themes in the play "Hamlet" by William Shakespeare is revenge. The main character, Hamlet, is out to avenge his father`s death. However, this task proves a huge challenge that requires extra-ordinary measures in order to accomplish. It is for this reason that Hamlet feigns madness in order to accomplish his mission (Mathison 2). Therefore, the thesis of this essay states that Hamlet feigns insanity and resorts to antic disposition in order to make his uncle confess killing his father.
The play opens with the murder of Hamlet`s father. Hamlet`s father has been the king of Denmark until his brother, Claudius, puts him to death. The death of King Hamlet devastates the son, Hamlet. When Claudius marries Hamlet`s mother, Hamlet becomes distraught and sets out for revenge. However, he has first to prove that indeed, Claudius is behind his father`s death. Matters come to a head when Hamlet realizes that the only proof he needs lies in Claudius` own confession of the heinous crime. Hamlet, therefore, has to pretend to be insane in order to drive Claudius, the new king of Denmark, to confess his guilt.
There are numerous instances in the play that point to Hamlet`s artificial madness. To begin with, Hamlet deftly plans to find out the truth for himself. The encounter with the ghost sets off Hamlet`s determination to figure out the truth about his father`s death. The ghost makes it clear that the new king of Denmark, Claudius, is the murderer. Consequently, Hamlet has to find a way of making the new king own up to the crime.
Hamlet declares to Horatio that he "must be idle" (3.2.85). Hamlet is laying down the groundwork in discovering the truth behind his father`s murder. He plans to enact a play on stage that will depict a man killing another one and taking over the throne as well as the bereaved wife. In the process, Hamlet makes it clear that he would deliberately act foolish in order to squeeze out a confession from Claudius (Nielsen 22). This shows that Hamlet is not actually insane, but he pretends to be in order to extract the truth from his father`s killer, King Claudius.
Secondly, Hamlet reveals to his best friend, Horatio that he would assume an antic disposition: "as a stranger give it welcome" (1.5.167). This is to trick his uncle into confessing to the murder of the fallen King Hamlet (Mathison 2). There is too much grief in Hamlet`s heart, considering that Claudius has not only grabbed the throne but has also married Hamlet`s mother, Gertrude. This is a double tragedy to Hamlet, so much so that he can hardly bear it. He says: "How strange or odd soe`er I bear myself,/ As I perchance hereafter shall think meet/ To put an antic disposition on" (1.5.58). Hamlet seems to be convinced that acting crazy would him to unravel the truth about his father`s murder.
Thirdly, Hamlet`s consciousness of his actions is a clear indication that he is not actually insane. In the course of the play, Laertes challenges Hamlet to a fencing match. However, there is more to this match than meets the eye. This is because Laertes` motive for the match is to kill Hamlet. Hamlet had accidentally killed Laertes` father, Polonius. Laertes has poisoned the tip of his sword so that should it come into conduct with Hamlet`s body, it would cause his death. After the fencing match, Hamlet forces Claudius to drink from the poisoned cup, leading to his death. Hamlet is also dying, and this realization causes him to bid farewell to his friend, Horatio, instructing him to tell t...
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