Hamlet's Obligation of Vengeance Essay

Throughout Shakespeares play Hamlet, the main character, Hamlet, is faced with the responsibility of attaining vengeance for his fathers murder. As part of his plan, he decides to feign madness to become believable for the characters around him. With his acting of madness, he tries to kill Claudius, his uncle and stepfather. However, through his inner thoughts and reasons for his actions, it clearly shows that he is not mad and is in simply acting simulating insanity to fulfill his duty to his father.

Hamlet claims madness because it allows him to act freely according to his will that he would be prohibited from. This part seems part of the plan that he mentions speaking to Horatio and Marcellus in the beginning of the play. He told them not to make any remarks about his frantic disposition. (1.5. 170-180). Hamlets madness allows him to talk to Claudius, Gertrude, and Ophelia in an unsuitable manner for a prince. He disrespects and insults people in his remarks. His actions backfire during his speech to his mother, Gertrude. Hamlet criticizes her for her actions because she thinks he is mad with his fathers death. Gertrude is not the only character who receives his criticism, Ophelia also receives sexual innuendos and blatantly sexual remarks towards her. One of his rude comments include, that if you be honest and fair, your honesty should admit no discourse to your beauty (3.1. 108). Hamlets insanity actions give a chance for him to vent his angers toward everyone. Furthermore Hamlet uses his madness as an excuse, and also part of his apology. This acting insaneness allows him to know what he is truly thinking, and not require for him to answer questions.

Hamlet is able to make remarks to Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, comparing them to sponges. He says, When Claudius needs what you have gleaned, it is but squeezing you and you shall be dry again ().This is unexpected, as many of his actions, but comparison makes sense. The quote explains how both of them soak all of the Kings favour and become dry to mop up the Kings mess. Kings favour and become dry to mop up the Kings mess, while they were spying on Hamlet. Later, with Claudius, Hamlet tells how lowly a king can be by saying, "A man (beggar) may fish with the worm that hath eat of a king, and eat of the fish that hath fed of that worm," ( ). This also makes sense, and is not quite as random, when Hamlet confronts Claudius, Hamlet begins the comparison by telling Claudius that Polonius is at supper. This prove that Hamlet has some of planning for this degrading comment, and that he definitely is not insane and able to stay focused.

On the other hand, Hamlet does not think as a person who is mad. He sees Claudius praying, he thinks logically and realizes that even if Claudius dies he will go to heaven. His thoughts are common sense. Hamlet is a sane man acting for the audience around him. In each of his soliloquies, he thinks over and over again about inner debate that any sane man would. For instance, he realizes that his fathers ghost may be a devil in a disguise. He plans to watch Claudius closely during the play that he engineered for his own means. He says in the play, I have these players play something like the murder of my father before mine uncle. I will observe his looks; I tent him to the quick, he spirit that I have seen maybe a devil (2.2. 600). A madman would not had the reason to think in this organized fashion. Even when Hamlet is questioning whether to be or not to be (3.1. 164), Hamlet is sane in his thinking. He may be seem insane to most everyone in the play, through the pros and cons of his play, he is most definitely sane in thought.

Hamlet can be considered eccentric, determined, and single-minded made by his fathers murder and his request for revenge. His fake madness is maintained because he can continue with his plan for the revenge. However, the madness is sustained when guard is unnecessary. Hamlet may have thought too much, but he thought as a sane man would. His actions are not committed without reason, and organized to be proclaimed mentally unstable.