Desire’ Daniel
Mr. Etter
British Literature 4th hour
6 November 2009
To Be Sane, or to Not Be Sane
Sanity, they say, is markedsimply by the normal. Anything out of society’s standards for behavior, mental capacity, or thinking, could very well be called insane. From Albert Einstein to Amelia Earhart, they could all be categorized as insane. The catch is, we only call people insane, if they don’t contribute to the forwarding of society, or mankind as a whole. Ed Gein, for example, was seen as a sweet boy, until they found out that he had murdered people and dug up graves for the bones. It is all in society’s perspective, what is sane, and what is not, many times. But one must ask, what if someone acted insane to save a country; a family, or to simply get revenge?
In Shakespeare’s tragedy Hamlet, the old king Hamlet dies suddenly, leaving behind a bereft son and wife, only to come back as a ghost, it seems. He comes at night, over the wall, onto the guardpost, and sweeps silently through the castle, shocking the guards. Finally, one speaks to a friend of young Hamlet, and tells him what he has seen. They decide to tell Hamlet, and Hamlet, shocked and excited, comes the next night to see the ghost that they say is his father. There, the ghost arrives, and Hamlet follows, despite the warnings. Upon being alone, the ghost speaks to Hamlet, telling him of what has truly killed him, and to take revenge. “Murder most foul, as in the best it is,/But this most foul, strange, and unnatural.”(1.5.33) when the ghost finally leaves, Hamlet seems to darken in his mood, and acts in a determined and dark manner. He says to the guards that he shall act insane, but not to tell a soul, and again reminded them of it later on. “I am but mad north-north-west. When the wind is southerly, I know a hawk from a handsaw.”(2.2.402) Perhaps, in that moment when his father gave him a goal, a seed of insanity may have been planted into Hamlet’s mind, as it gave him a dark burden to bear, heavier than the burden of his father simply being dead.
Hamlet seems to contemplate suicide at least twice in the play, once when he finds his mother married to his father’s murderer; the king’s own brother who stole his throne, and again, just before Ophelia comes to see him. "To be or not to be-that is the question:
Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,
Or to take arms against a sea of troubles
And, by opposing, end them." (3.1.64)
Is it not true that thoughts of suicide and incredible depression are reasons in this day and age, to be thrown into an insane asylum? Furthermore, to judge by the standards of Hamlet’s age, wasn’t love a reason for madness? Hamlet’s mother, uncle, and Ophelia’s less than business-respecting father think so, as Polonius, Ophelia’s father, comes to the king and queen, stating that he believehe knows why Hamlet is seemingly insane. He recounts the tale Ophelia had given, of Hamlet coming to her, wordless, and holding her at arm’s length, shaking her, a torn look upon his face. Polonius backs up his theory by reading aloud one of Hamlet’s old, and private, mind you, letters to Ophelia. They bring Ophelia to test Polonius’ theory, and Hamlet, whether he knows or not that they are there, rejects Ophelia in a most horrid way, the exact opposite of the feelings he had stated in the letters.
“Hamlet:
I did love you once.
Ophelia:
Indeed, my lord, you made me believe so.
Hamlet:
You should not have believ'd me, for virtue cannot so
inoculate our old stock but we shall relish of it. I lov'd you not.
Ophelia:
I was the more deceiv'd.
Hamlet:
Get thee to a nunn'ry, why woulds't thou be a breeder of
sinners?”
(3.1.114-121)
Does it show whether Hamlet is bluffing or not? No, it does not, and if he is not, then perhaps his sudden cruellness to Ophelia is proof of a slight insanity. Later, Hamlet acts quite sweetly to Ophelia once more, flirting and giving hidden sexual advances. This, once again, may give proof to Hamlet’s insanity, which although was very little, may be growing steadily to a peak.
Hamlet finally speaks to his mother after the play which he had set up to test Claudius, his murdering uncle. He got the proof he wanted, and was straight after beckoned to his unknowing mother’s chambers to talk. There, Hamlet tells his mother of Claudius’ misdeeds, and seemingly had her convinced until he supposedly saw the ghost of his father once more. The difference being that he was the only one who could see it, whereas before, all of the guards had seen it. Hamlet’s mother becomes convinced that he is insane, only to be backed up by the fact that Hamlet stabs a hiding Polonius without remorse, and drags him away. Hamlet’s mother is asked to keep secret the fact that Hamlet is only pretending to be insane, but it is apparent that Hamlet is becoming delusional, and therefore, quite insane.