The sane amongst the mad

            Compared to Claudious, Polonius, and Gertrude, Hamlet is the sanest person in Denmark! At least Hamlet has every reason to be mad. He returned home to find himself in the middle of a nightmare. Imagine waking up to find that your uncle has married your mother. At the same time, your new uncle-dad mentions that your mourning is “of impious stubbornness; ‘tis unmanly grief” (I.ii.9). Now try being sensible. Hamlet, born and raised as a leader, has huge responsibilities to carry out. It is his duty, as a prince of Denmark, to bring justice to the scandal. To make matters worse, the ghost of Hamlet’s father orders Hamlet to avenge his death. The same ghost, which four men witnessed, could not be seen by Gertrude. This fact alone suggests that Gertrude is mad. The people who are crazy are also the people who are not questioning the actions and morals of Gertrude and Claudius. Hamlet feels lost within the confusion that was created with the first drop of poison in his father’s ear. “What is a man, / If his chief good and market of his time / Be but to sleep and feed? A beast, no more.” (IV.iv.85). Even Hamlet’s own mother, the maker of his madness, can’t speak to her “too much changed son” (II.ii.34). Furthermore Hamlet never receives any good news. Ophelia, the one person Hamlet hopes to confide in, refuses to accept his love because of her father.

          While Hamlet is a tragic hero, the bigger tragedy is the inability of the spectator to forgive him. The hamartia in which Hamlet acts under is not exactly madness although Hamlet does lose his ability to control himself. Even heroes make mistakes. In my opinion Hamlet’s revenge does not taint his character. In fact Hamlet redeems himself when he and Laertes exchange forgiveness.