Written by: emmashep
Within his tragic Hamlet, Shakespeare explores three definitions of madness. The definition presented by Ophelia is the only one I interpret as conventional madness, whereas I think the two presented by Hamlet are either feigned or the result of heightened emotions. Each condition contains similarities and differences that help to highlight the dramatic purpose that this theme provides to the play.
The first of these conditions is named the ‘antic disposition’ by Hamlet in act one, scene five, and could be argued to be Hamlet’s genuine state. However, I think that Shakespeare employs a number of methods to disprove this belief and confirm that whilst employing the antic disposition, Hamlet is sane. The first of these methods is the witty wordplay Shakespeare assigns to Hamlet to allow him to mock those he suspects of working in liaison with his uncle.
Claudius’ most infamous and interfering courtier, Polonius, is one of Hamlet’s prime targets. This is illustrated in the famous Fishmonger’s Scene where, under the guise of madness, Hamlet not only accuses Polonius of being a dishonest spy, ‘I would you were so honest a man,’ and a pimp, ‘you are a fishmonger,’ but also takes great pleasure in calling him a fool. This is seen in a large section of prose given to Hamlet where he picks out amusing examples of Polonius’ senility, ‘old men have grey beards,’ ‘their faces are wrinkled,’ ‘they have a plentiful lack of wit.’ He also mimics Polonius’ obsequious repetition of ‘my lord,’ with his own, sarcastic, ‘sir,’ which appears three times in this speech where it need not have been said at all.
Hamlet continues to belittle and prove Polonius a fool throughout the beginning of this scene but, the use of this wordplay is only seen as definite proof of Hamlet’s sanity when Shakespeare continues the theme into act three, scene two. Here, Hamlet calls Polonius, ‘so capital a calf,’ and fools him into believing he is mad with such ridiculous lines as, ‘do you see yonder cloud that’s almost in shape of a camel?’ to which Polonius fawningly agrees. The extent of this continuity not only allows Shakespeare to prove Hamlet’s sanity, but also helps him to define the first type of ‘madness’, which is very well planned and implemented by Hamlet’s vast intellect, quick thinking and convincing acting ability.
This superb performance, which allows the ‘antic disposition’ to be so realistic is also seen in the alterations Hamlet makes to his character depending on the company he is in. This is further proof to his awareness of his false state and the existence of his sanity.
Again, this is expressed with Hamlet’s attitude towards Polonius, especially in act three, scene two, where he appears to be able to switch his condition on and off. After furiously condemning Rosencrantz and Guildenstern for playing upon him, the appearance of Polonius provokes an instant change in mood; ‘God bless you, sir!’ This is seen continuously through the play, for example, in act two, scene two, after acting for Polonius, Hamlet immediately jokes with the then trustworthy Rosencrantz and Guildenstern with clever, sexual wordplay. Hamlet’s own line, ‘I must be idle,’ in act three, scene two, however, is Shakespeare’s most significant indication that this disposition is indeed knowledgeably feigned.
Further proof to the extent of Hamlet’s act is seen with his manipulative pandering to the desires of different characters. There are a number of views held on the cause of Hamlet’s madness: Polonius believes that it is for unrequited love, whereas Claudius, thinks it due to ‘ambition.’ Through the play, Hamlet seems aware of this and plays on these suspicions to confuse Claudius and his spies. The is seen in reference to Ophelia in act two, scene two, ‘Have you a daughter?’ ‘As your daughter may conceive,’ ‘one fair daughter,’ and again in Hamlet’s approach to Ophelia when Polonius is present, ‘here’s metal more attractive,’ ‘country matters’ in order to convince Polonius that he is mad for love for Ophelia. This plan proves successful, as seen by Polonius’ reaction, ‘Oh, ho! Do you mark that?’
The ‘antic disposition’ is presented very methodically and with obvious calculation, as commented on by Claudius, ‘there’s matter in these sighs’ and therefore is classified by Shakespeare as the first of Hamlet’s two temperaments, which could be described as ‘madness’. However, because of the clear intellect used to give such a polished performance of wit and wordplay, I believe that, whilst in this state, Hamlet is still completely sane and aware of what he is doing, ‘I am but mad north-north-west.’
I believe Shakespeare uses all of these techniques to prove Hamlet’s sanity in order to create a true villain of Claudius. By assuring his audience that Hamlet is sane, Shakespeare ensures that his opinion of Claudius is reliable. Therefore, when catching Claudius with the dumb show in act three, there is no doubt over Hamlet’s findings because, for the first three acts, Shakespeare has proven him sane. This gives the rest of the play purpose, justifies Hamlet’s actions and confirms his honour within the play.
In comparison to this logic, Hamlet’s second temperament is incredibly ambiguous, but there are specific moments in the text where he has obviously strayed from both the solidarity of his sanity and the comfort of the antic disposition. Though these moments are not the conventional madness a Shakespearean audience would have recognised, they contain some of the key symptoms of the modern form of depression. During these moments, it is clear that Hamlet is not thinking with the precise and calculated mind Shakespeare has previously given him.
I have found that this depression is bought on by moments of emotional distress regarding three things: betrayal, for example from Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, guilt, mainly over his inability to carry out his father’s requests for revenge and loss, for example, Ophelia’s funeral. It can be characterized by the frenzied loss of control Hamlet has previously guarded so closely.
This loss of control is easily seen through the more violent language assigned to Hamlet and the actions which accompany them. This can be seen during Ophelia’s funeral in act five, scene one when, grief-stricken, Hamlet leaps into her grave and attacks Laertes both verbally and physically. His demands, ‘What is he?’ ‘What wilt thou do for her?’ and his righteous proclamations, ‘I lov’d Ophelia: forty thousand brothers could not…make up my sum,’ accompany a threatening choice of words, ‘dangerous,’ ‘rash,’ ‘burning,’ and hysterical repetition, ‘woo’t weep, woo’t fight, woo’t fast.’ Such uncontrolled hysteria is not seen with the ‘antic disposition’ and therefore, these frantic moments are presented as a separate type of madness.
As well as this contrast in language, these moments of ‘tow’ring passion,’ are the only times in the play where Hamlet offends those he loves. He abuses and upsets both Ophelia and his mother in the Nunnery Scene and the Closet Scene, respectively, and then Laertes at the end of act five, scene one, by insulting his love for his sister. However, in later moments of calm, Hamlet apologises and Shakespeare gives the clearest definition of this type of madness, ‘What I have done that might your nature, honour and exception roughly awake, I here proclaim was madness.’ Within this speech, Hamlet also confirms that this melancholic madness was out of his control and uninvited, ‘his madness is poor Hamlet’s enemy,’ unlike the ‘antic disposition,’ which was devised, embraced and used to it’s greatest advantage by Hamlet.
Though uncontrolled, this depression is, in some respects, the most honest reflection of Hamlet’s contrasting emotions. It allows Shakespeare to reveal Hamlet’s true resentment towards his mother in the Closet Scene, ‘would it were not so! – you are my mother,’ embitterment towards Ophelia during the dumb show, ‘So you mis-take your husbands’ and anger towards Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, ‘do you think I am easier to be played on than a pipe?’
Final, and most obvious proof Shakespeare gives to Hamlet’s loosening grip on his own mind during these moments of heightened emotion, is seen in the Closet Scene with the controversial appearance of the ghost. Characteristic continuity seen with wordplay and themes in this play are disregarded as Gertrude denies being able to see the ghost with an emphatic seven repetitions, ‘whereon do you look?’ ‘you do bend your eye on vacancy.’ I believe that, were the ghost real at this point, Gertrude, as Marcello, Horatio, Bernardo and Francisco were able to do in act one, would have been able to see him. With this lack of continuity, I believe it is Shakespeare’s intention to use this hallucination as the most blatant support of the second, melancholic definition of madness.
This definition, as close to true madness as I believe is presented by Hamlet, is used by Shakespeare to include drama into the play. Hamlet is most famous for it’s much-discussed theme of madness and all elements of drama in the play: alternative madness, duelling, banishment, violence and murder, are all a result of Hamlet’s unstable mind. This makes the play exciting and unpredictable and, even today, draws huge crowds.
In comparison to both the antic disposition and Hamlet’s depression, stereotypical Elizabethan madness is presented by the character of Ophelia in act four. Like many critics, I believe that Ophelia has been ‘divided from herself.’ Shakespeare portrays this through her use of language and manner of communication.
Shakespeare provides a clear definition of Ophelia’s state at the beginning of act four where it is said that she ‘speaks things…that carry but half sense,’ and that ‘her speech is nothing.’ This is true as, though there are constant references to both her father, with the repetition of, ‘daughter’ and Hamlet ‘Saint Valentines,’ her meanings are vague and lack precise consideration. In comparison to Hamlet’s witty wordplay, Ophelia’s ramblings of, ‘Come, my coach,’ bear little meaning.
More proof to the authenticity of Ophelia’s madness is seen as she is directed to sing. In previous acts we have seen that appearances and standards are incredibly important to Ophelia and so, to lose her inhibitions and to use language such as, ‘cock,’ ‘tumble,’ and ‘do’t,’ especially before the King and Queen, along with the report that she ‘spurns enviously at straws,’ show that Ophelia is ‘indeed distract.’ This loss of self-awareness is an unconscious echo of Hamlet’s loss of control during previous and later acts.
Obvious comparisons can be made between Ophelia’s madness and both Hamlet’s ‘antic disposition’ and ‘tow’ring passion.’ The difference in the quality of language between the two characters is huge and, accompanied by such similarities as the cause of madness (loss of a father) which, contrastingly leads to two very different fates: swift death for Ophelia; five-act pensiveness for Hamlet, is Shakespeare’s main tool in contrasting Ophelia’s genuine insanity with Hamlet’s wavering instability and sometimes solid mind.
I believe Shakespeare uses Ophelia’s madness in order to highlight the lack of similar symptoms in Hamlet. It appears significantly in act four, after Shakespeare has already presented both of Hamlet’s conditions and therefore it is easy to compare to Ophelia’s singsong insanity. These comparisons further emphasise the drama of the theme and therefore Claudius’ guilt.
Other presentations of madness are seen in Polonius’ senility and Hamlet’s brief, but unseen, moment of stereotypical Elizabethan madness, ‘doublet all unbrac’d …his stockings foul’d.’ Both this and the antic disposition serve to add many of the comic moments to the play. Like Hamlet’s ‘tow’ring passion,’ Laertes is also seen in moments of intense anger with such declarations as, ‘to hell, allegiance!’ ‘I dare damnation.’
However, the three main definitions of madness presented by Shakespeare in Hamlet explore one of the principal themes of the play. As well as adding the most exciting drama, I think that madness is used in different forms to contrast and complement each other definition. Shakespeare’s exploration of emotions, as presented by Hamlet, and the ambiguous way in which emotions cross the boundary into madness is ahead of his time and adds intriguing and passionate levels of meaning into the play.