Hamlet's madness

Hamlet's madness

1. "The time is out of joint; O cursed spite,that ever I was born to set it right"

   • Hamlet suffers from melancholy, after his Father's death.
   • He feels a great burden of responsibility to take revenge, after 1.5.
   • He decides to put on an "Antic disposition", a mask to wear while challenging the status quo.
   • So, the madness is a pretence.

2. Hamlet does suffer from melancholy. His morbid state of mind is reflected in his soliloquies.

   • He seems Hell bent on exposing her betrayal of his Father
     • He ignores the ghost's demand to leave his Mother to Heaven.
   • He obsesses over the inadequacies of women, "Frailty, thy name is woman".
   • He procrastinates on the ethics of murdering Claudius and agonises over the metaphysical significance of taking revenge.

3. Hamlet procrastinates.

   • He contrasts his lack of action with Fortinbras's courage.