Essay, Research Paper: Madness Of Hamlet

Madness may be a mental incapacity caused by an unmentionable injury. Madness is one of the major themes in Shakespeare s play Hamlet. Almost all the characters in the play have moments where, there are irrational actions. Their actions have significant consequences as the play progresses. Ophelia is one of these characters that by the end of the play go insane. However, Ophelia did not choose to become mad, her madness is the fault of various events and actions by certain characters in the play. This is revealed when Polonius and Laertes orders Ophelia to stay away from Hamlet, Hamlet s obsessive behavior towards her, and finally the death of Polonius.
Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, is unsuited for Ophelia according to Polonius and Laertes. Laertes, Ophelia s brother, advised her about the sincerity of Hamlet s words. Perhaps he loves you now; and now no soil nor cautel doth besmirch (I, iii, 18-19), he explains to her that although his love may be genuine enough at the moment, his honest intentions may be tarnished by stress or deceit at a further point in their relationship. Laertes warns her to and keep you in the rear of your affection. (I, iii, 38) and to think with her mind rather than the feelings in her heart, which could cause to be carried away with passions. Polonius, the king s chamberlain and father to Ophelia, also disapproved of Hamlet, Affection, Puh! You speak like a green girl unsifted in such perilous circumstance. Do you believe his tenders as you cal them? (I, iii, 110-112), this is not pleasing to Polonius who feels that Hamlet s intentions are not sincere. It is clear that Plolonius is making the decissions for her daughter, regardless of her feelings. As a father, he tells her that Hamlet is not really expressing his love for her, but only a mere passing affection. Ophelia is acting like a silly schoolgirl in his eyes. It would be absurd for her to put faith in Hamlet s so-called promises of love, Do not believe his vows for they are brokers. (I, iii, 136) hamlet s vows are not what they appear to be. Ophelia believes that Hamlet s love is authentic and he presented his love in a respectful manner. But after listening to her brother and father, she s now confused and upset, and cannot figure out what she should do. At this point in the play Ophelia s emotions are what help contribute to her madness.
Polonius informs the king and queen that he knows the cause of Hamlet s lunacy. He tries to prove that Hamlet has lost his mind as a result of Ophelia s rejected love. Seeing, as Rosencrantz and Guildenstern were unable to determine the cause of Hamlet s madness, both Polonius and Claudius decided to implicate their plan to eavesdrop on Hamlet s conversation with Ophelia. In light of Hamlet s supposed madness, he is cruel to Ophelia who did nothing to deserve such vile treatment. When their conversation starts, Ophelia reminds Hamlet of their past love. Hamlet refuses her and goes against her every word No, not I. I never gave you aught (III, I, 105), Hamlet denies having given her any tokens of his love. You should not have believed me, for virtue cannot so our old stock but we shall relish of it. I loved you not (III, i, 127-129). When these words are thrown at her by Hamlet, they re enough to make her upset. She has no idea of what is happening to him or what she has done wrong. It is evident throughout this conversation that Hamlet insults Ophelia and women in general, God hath given you one face, and you make yourselves another. (III, 1, 155-156) If he loved her so, he would not have generalized this negative view of women and hence categorize among them. This incident causes Ophelia to become slightly disturbed. She is very sad, while her father and the king practically steps on her weak body to find out more reasons for Hamlet s actions. In this depressed state all she can say is O! woe is me, to have seen what I have seen, what I see! (III,I, ). So, because of Hamlet s rudeness and rejection through this part of the play, Ophelia is driven even more closer to insanity.
Hamlet stabs Polonius through curtains, How now! A rat? Dead for ducat dead (III, iv, 29) He assumed that Claudius was spying on him. Hamlet learns that it was Polonius and not Claudius whom he murdered. Polonius is Ophelia s father and she cares for him a great deal. This is the very event that would drive Ophelia mad, and yet he refers to her beloved father as a sack of guts. Hamlet showed no remorse for Ophelia and what the effect of her father s death would have on her. After her father s death, she is anything but normal. With her father dead, her brother gone, and her only love who rejected her; she now has nothing to live for. She wanders around the castle singing songs that do not really make any sense to anyone. She cannot seem to tell the difference between right and wrong. She is just an innocent child: There s a daisy. I would give you some violets, but they withered all when father died. They say he made a good end (IV, v, 207-209). Her condition is explained by the king after she makes it obvious: Thick, and unwholesome in thoughts and whispers. For good Polonius death, and we have done but greenly poor Ophelia divided from herself and her fair judgment. (IV, v, 86-92) The king probably feels just as responsible as Hamlet for her father s death. Ophelia, who was once nearly flawless, now moments away from suicide, has been completely mentally shattered by Hamlet. The death of Polonius functions as the basis for Ophelia s insanity. He is dead and gone lady, dead and gone (IV, v, 34-35), Ophelia enters queen s chamber singing a mad song. The words seems to have little significance, however, they re an indication of the grief she endures for her dead father. When Laertes comes to visit, she says goodbye to her brother for the last time, leaving him filled with rage and grief. Polonius once live but has departed, leaving the world behind. Hamlet can be blamed for her father s death, and to some extent her tragic death.
Ophelia s madness progresses throughout the play as she comes across more and more unfortunate incidents. She starts off happy with Hamlet by her side, but due to the fact that her life was under so much control by her father she lost him. The occurrences after their breakup were even more unsettling to Ophelia because of the unpleasant way Hamlet treated her. The death of her father is more than she can bare, and she ends up going completely insane. Ophelia s madness and the events that lead her to it are key parts in the plot in Shakespeare s play, Hamlet