Kaelyn Thimons

Mrs. Dietrich
Honors English 10
September 28, 2016
Act II Sanity Analysis
Hamlet has been experiencing a lot in his life lately. His father died, Hamlets mother
remarried his uncle, his uncle took his right to the throne, hes been experiencing hardships with
a love interest, and he found out his uncle, who is now the king, poisoned his father. I believe
Hamlet has showed a few scenarios of insanity, which shows that he is not mentally stable. His
new goal is to avenge his fathers death. I think part of that plan is to make his uncle Claudius
think hes on a downward spiral so when he makes a move, itll catch him off guard. This is all a
part of a diabolical plan to avenge his fathers death and take back the throne that is rightfully
his. Even though its a part of a plan, the way hes going about it, playing with everyones minds
and getting into his emotions is just not right.

Some of Hamlets actions were definitely blown out of proportion. But I still believe
theyre all within reason to his major plan. It hath made me mad. I say we will have no more
marriage. Those that are married already, all but one, shall live. The rest shall keep as they are.
To a nunnery go (3.1.159-162). Hamlet was earlier in the play write, so in love with Ophelia
that he sent her love letters and showed his affection. Now he is kicking her to the curb and
cutting her out of his life. He refers to the nunnery in this passage. Hamlet isnt telling Ophelia to

become a nun, hes telling Ophelia to go to a brothel, where according to him, she belongs. Back
to my point on Hamlets plan to confuse King Claudius, I believe this is part of it. Polonius came
to Claudius and Gertrude to explain to them, on how Hamlet is supposedly mad in the brain.
Polonius brought up the love letter to show the king and queen that Hamlet is crazy in love. He
is showing signs of being bipolar. Hamlet one day loves Ophelia, and the next day hes shunning
her to a brothel. Thats insane if you ask me.

Before the Ghost appeared to Hamlet telling him to avenge his fathers death, Hamlet was
in a state of depression. He was upset about the loss of his fathers death, and angered and
annoyed that his mother remarried his uncle. But he was certainly not insane. As soon as the
Ghost paid a visit to Hamlet to give him some unpleasant and unexpected news, hes been acting
insane and just not himself. I am thy father's spirit, doom'd for a certain term to walk the night,
and for the day confined to fast in fires, till the foul crimes done in my days of nature, are burnt
and purged away, but that I am forbid, to tell the secrets of my prison-house, I could a tale unfold
whose lightest word, would harrow up thy soul, freeze thy young blood, make thy two eyes, like
stars, start from their spheres, thy knotted and combined locks to part, and each particular hair to
stand on end, the quills upon the fretful porpentine. But this eternal blazon must not be, to ears of
flesh and blood (1.5.14-28). At this moment Hamlet was shell shocked. He quivered and shook
and began to cry. This is the moment Hamlet had gone mad.

Throughout the book, I have been able to comprehend that Hamlet has been struggling
with all of the change around him. The way he has been acting lately, is absolutely insane. Hes

been acting irrationally, when it comes to his plan for revenge. Hamlet has good intentions, but is
fighting an internal mind battle, in the form of insanity.