Madness In Hamlet Essay

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The significance of madness in William Shakespeare’s Hamlet plays a major part of the entirety of the play. Without the element of madness the audience cannot grasp the base of Hamlet’s character or the surrounding environment as a whole. Throughout the play, Hamlet’s actions influence the actions of various characters, and thus ends in tragedy among Denmark. It’s because of madness the play acts out into what people know today as Hamlet. The overall role of madness within Hamlet is the significant heart of the play. Without madness there is no character development, and without character development there is no controversy that the people know today. The most famous soliloquy that people worldwide know are the lines “To be, or not to be” …show more content…
Throughout the play Hamlet abandons his trust from his entire family and their assistants. He knows about his father’s murder which he must keep secret, because if the secret were to come out to the monarch he’d become an enemy of Denmark. Because of this, he resorts to mockery and acting insane. Shakespeare writes “How strange or odd some’er I bear myself (As I perchance hereafter shall think meet To put an antic Disposition on) (1.5 190-192). The whole reason behind the madness is to prove that Claudius is guilty of the murder of King Hamlet, and perhaps discover other adversaries behind the current conspiracy. Faking madness was to Hamlet’s advantage, yet also his ultimate end. This adds to the significance of madness as a whole. The significance of madness is the desire for revenge. The most important reason why Hamlet plays mad is to get back at his Uncle Claudius for murdering his father. Because of this, Hamlet plays insane so nobody can suspect him of getting onto Claudius. If Claudius were to discover that Hamlet were on to him, he would declare him an immediate enemy of Denmark and have him executed. Madness plays the role of the character of Hamlet as well. Without the “madness” Hamlet wouldn’t have successfully planned out his assassination of
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