Cameron Branch

Miss Skirtich
16 November 2016
English 10: World Literature
Hamlets Mental State
Is Hamlet actually in control or has his plan to act crazy taken over his personality? There
are some parts of the play where Hamlet seem perfectly normal and there are other parts of it
where he seems crazy. Hamlet went from self-centered, sad, and depressed, to vengeful, suicidal,
and insane. These were things that caused Hamlets madness and Hamlets madness caused a lot
of bad things for other people in the play. Nevertheless, Hamlets mental state was being driven
by his fathers death, all of the insincerity, and the revenge on Claudius.
The death of Hamlets father was so devastating to him. He was so depressed and sad. At
the same time, since he was depressed, he didnt really care too much about others around him
and was mostly self-centered. As Hamlet mourned for the death of his dad, Claudius tried to
make everyone happy again as he became king. Claudius did three things that made Hamlet
angry, he married Gertrude, told Hamlet not to mourn for his father and he held a funeral and a
wedding back to back. Though yet of Hamlet our dear brothers death...Of these dilated articles
allow (I.ii.1-38.) Hamlet never really like Claudius ever since he married Gertrude. Also,
Claudius was planning to have a funeral and a wedding back to back. He wanted everyone to
forget about Late King Hamlets death and he wants to primarily focus on the wedding. Hamlet
was sad and angry at the same time. He was sad about the death of his father and angry at
Claudius and Gertrude. Tis sweet commendable in your nature...Our chiefest courtier, cousin,
and our son (I.ii.90-121.) Claudius told Hamlet to stop mourning over the death of his father
and to man up. This made Hamlet angry when he said this. Claudius wants Hamlet to think of
him as his real father now.

Hamlet was insincere for most of the play until close to the ending. He started opening up
after a while, especially after he was progressing more and more into his plan. After Claudius
married Gertrude, Hamlet hated Claudius for that, but he didnt show the feelings he had for
Claudius and his mother Gertrude until later on in the play. Look here upon this picture and on
thisand reason {panders} will (III.iv.63-98.) This was the first time that he really explained
that he didnt like that Gertrude married Claudius and that she likes Claudius a lot. Another one
was Hamlet never really expressing the true feelings he had for Ophelia until it was too late.
When she died and Hamlet was at the funeral, he expressed how much he loved her. I loved
Ophelia. Forty thousand brothers... Make my sum. What wilt thou do for her?(V.i.285-287.) A
question that was asked earlier in the play was if Hamlet really loved Ophelia. This answers that
question. Hamlet loved Ophelia so much, but he never really showed. Ophelia didnt know if
Hamlet really loved her or not and now it is too late for Hamlet to tell her how he really feels.
Hamlets primary goal for the whole play is to get revenge on Claudius. When Hamlets
dad as a ghost came and talked to him, Hamlet was scared, but at the same time was happy.
Hamlets dad told him the truth about the murder and Claudiuss doings. Ay, that incestuous,
that adulterate beast...Adieu, adieu, adieu. Remember me (I.iv.49-98.)After that moment,
Hamlet seeks revenge on Claudius. He comes up with a plan first to see if he really is guilty and
to find ways to kill him. Until Hamlets dad gets avenged, he will walk the earth as a ghost for
eternity at night time. As Hamlets plan starts to work, it starts to turn on him. His friends and
family are trying to spy on him to see why he is acting crazy; which was some of Hamlets play.
Hamlets mental state was being driven by his fathers death, all of the insincerity, and the
revenge on Claudius. His mental caused a lot of problems for everyone. At first it was not as bad,
but as the play started progressing, it started to affect everyone. How it affected Hamlet was that

everyone turned on him and he was losing his mind. It affected everyone else because they
wanted to know why he was so crazy and it actually killed people trying to find out about his
mental state. Polonius died when he was spying on Hamlet. Ophelia died from her heart being
destroyed and she thought that she was the one who made Hamlet crazy. She blamed herself big
time.