Hamlets Mental Instability

Hamlets is affected by mental instability many times throughout the play. What is
affecting Hamlet to have this is many characters and events during the play. However, other
times he chooses to be mad to fool the other characters in the play. Hamlet is very good at this,
and this shapes up the whole play. Therefore, Hamlets mental instability is driven by his own
self, Claudius, and Ophelia.
Hamlets mental instability is driven by him causing it on himself too fool other
characters. One quote in the book that explains this is when Hamlets says he can be mad when
he chooses (ll, ii, 402-403). He tells Rosencrantz and Guildenstern when he finds out they are
spying on him. However, he also puts the lesson of telling them this because he knows they will
not understand. Another example that explains this is when Hamlet tells his friend he will
pretend to be mad. (l, V, 190-192). He says this after the ghost tell him that Claudius killed him.
It is part of his plan towards the rest of the play.
Hamlets mental instability is also driven by Claudius. The event of Claudius killing King
Hamlet leads to a lot of his mental instability towards him. One example of this in the book is
when Gertrude tells Claudius that Hamlet is mad as the sea because he killed Polonius, thinking
it was Claudius (llll, I, 6-12). Gertrude is lying to Claudius to protect Hamlet, and make it look
like Hamlets mental instability is caused by Claudius, which is not the case. Another example
that explains my point is when hamlet tells the ghost he will erase all records, and swears to do
something to his uncle (l, V, 99-116). He will then become mad by wanting to do something to
Claudius, which explains why Claudius causes Hamlet mental instability.

The last reason which causes Hamlet mental instability is Ophelia. Hamlet and Ophelias
troubled love affair plays a big factor into Hamlets mental situation. A quote from the book that
shows this is when Ophelia explains to Polonius that Hamlet came into her closet and became
mad for her (ll, i, 99-113). Hamlet is doing this like I said before because of their troubled love
affair. Another reason why Hamlet is mad because of Ophelia is when he knows she is helping
Polonius spy on him (III, I, 131-132). This would make anyone mad if your girlfriend was
helping someone else to spy on him.
Hamlets mental instability is shown many times throughout the book. I feel his mental
state is a huge reason in how the book shapes out. Hamlet being mad just causes so many events
in the book, and that is why I feel that way. There is not just one reason however that causes
Hamlet to be mad. In conclusion, Hamlets mental instability is driven by himself, Claudius, and
Ophelia.