For those of you who don't know the story line of Hamlet, the play begins two months after Hamlet's father (the king of Denmark) has been murdered by Hamlet's Uncle (the new king of Denmark). Hamlet also has to live with his uncle marring Hamlet's mother only two months after the death of his father. Hamlet found out about the murder from the ghost of his father who tells Hamlet to seek revenge and kill Claudius (uncle). Hamlet waits another two months to figure out the truth of how his father really died.
Madness is one of the main themes in the play Hamlet. The audience sees this in not only Hamlet but also in Ophelia later in the play. Lets start by looking a Hamlet's madness first.
Madness is one of the main themes in the play Hamlet. The audience sees this in not only Hamlet but also in Ophelia later in the play. Lets start by looking a Hamlet's madness first.
Hamlet spends most of the play deciding whether or not he should really murder his uncle / father. During that time he tells a few people that he is just pretending to be "mad" in front of other people and not to worry. But there are several points in the play when it is hard to tell if he is really just pretending to be insane or if he has actually become mad. Many of the other characters in the play believe he has gone mad because of three reasons, one being the death of his father, two being his love for Ophelia whom he can't love/marry, and three being Hamlet's ambition for the thrown.
There are several times in the play that Hamlet ponders on suicide including in his most famous soliloquy (to be or not to be). The audience sees Ophelia completely crazy in act four scene five when she is restrained in a version of a straight jacket and rolling around on the floor singing. This happens after she learns that Hamlet murdered he father Polonius. Ophelia's madness happens because of the death of her father, the loss of Hamlet and the guilt sh has for her infidelity to Hamlet. In act four scene seven the audience learns that Ophelia had an accident and drowned. What scholars now believe is that she could have been pregnant but since she was not married it would have be scandalous to have the baby. So they believe the drowning was actually suicide because of her guilt of her and Hamlet's relationship. Her father's untimely death would not have helped her depression/madness. |
Claudius: " Grating so harshly all his days o quiet With turbulance and dangerous lunacy? Rosencrantz: "He does confess he feels himself distracted, But from what cause a will by no means speak. Guildenstern: "Nor do we find him forward to be sounded, But with a crafty madness keeps aloof When we would bring him on to confession Of his true state." (3,1,2-9) Hamlet: "To grunt and sweat under a weary life, But that the dread of something after death, The undiscovered country, from who bourne No traveller returns, puzzles the will, And makes us rather bear those ills we have, Than fly to others that we know not of? Thus conscience does make cowards [of us all]. (3,1, 77-83) Ophelia: "There's rosemary, that's for remembrance - pray you, love remember - and there is pansies, that's for thoughts. Laertes: "A document in madness, thoughts and remembrance fitted." (4,5,174-176) |