Literary Analysis of Hamlet: The Insanity of The Lead

Literary Analysis of Hamlet: The Insanity of the Lead

In Shakespeare's Hamlet, the lead and prince of Denmark, Hamlet is subject to the degradation of his insanity throughout the play. There are many incidents in the play that would indicate Shakespeare's intent to destroy his character's sanity. It can be qualified that his sanity was finally broken when he alone sees the ghost in his mother's room. The repercussion of Hamlet's insanity or feigned insanity ultimately leads to his death.

As Shakespeare brings to light many times, Hamlet attempts to feign insanity as a plan to reassure Claudius and Gertrude that he was not a threat and to gain information that a sane person would not acquire. It could be seen that at this point Hamlet is in control of his emotional state as he clearly says to Horatio in Act 1 Scene v, that he will "put an antic disposition on" which shows his plan of feigned insanity and his control of his situation. As the play progresses Shakespeare leaves subtle hints to the audience members that Hamlet's insanity is becoming a reality. Subtle hints like his ongoing relationship with Ophelia are a key to the audience of Hamlet's failing psyche.

Many times the audience gets the opportunity to view the relationship of Hamlet and Ophelia that is complicated at best. In Act 2 Scene ii, Ophelia addresses her experience with an apparent maddened Hamlet and states that he tells her he never loved her. In Act 3 Scene I, Hamlet tells Ophelia "to go to a nunnery", which had multiple meanings in Shakespeare's time. It could literally mean go to a nunnery, or he could mean that he and Ophelia had sexual relations and she should go to a brothel because of her impurity. Either way, Hamlet embarrasses Ophelia publically as sexual impurity was a huge faux pas of the time period. Despite all of this, at Ophelia's funeral in Act 5 Scene i, Hamlet professes his undying love for Ophelia while fighting with Laertes on her grave.