Essential #7

Do you think that Hamlet has created his own insanity, or has he lost his sense of reality completely?

Hamlet is not insane, he has created his own insanity. He makes Horatio swear to keep seeing the Ghost a secret, no matter "how strange or odd some'er I [Hamlet] bear myself"(1.5.190). Hamlet realizes that in carrying out revenge for his father may cause him to act insanely. Hamlet reiterates this when he explains, "I am mad but north-north-west. When the wind is southerly, I know a hawk from a handshaw"(2.2.402). Hamlet knows when to act mad and when to act normally. Hamlet has experienced great tragedy in the death of his father and the quick marriage between Gertrude and Claudius. Many perfectly sane people would see logic in Hamlet immediately carrying out revenge on his father's murderer. However, Hamlet shows us his sanity in being unsure of vengeance. He feels sorrow and anger for what has happened, and his hesitation to act impulsively shows us that Hamlet has a good heart and is able to sanely rationalize and think about his actions. Hamlet does decide to carry out revenge and realizes that to follow through with what his father says, he may need to do crazy things. Acting insanely may also be a part of Hamlet's plan for vengeance.