Consider, bearing in mind contemporary beliefs about madness, Shakespeare's use of madness in "Hamlet." What responses do you have to depict madness as part of a modern audience? Hamlet is a tragedy written in the late sixteenth century. Webster's dictionary describes madness as the quality or state of being mad: rage b: insanity c: extreme folly d: ecstasy, enthusiasm. In this essay, I will be exploring Hamlet's madness and the other characters' reaction to said madness. I will also be commenting on how many of the points described in Webster's dictionary are exhibited in Hamlet's madness.
             The strongest point about madness in "Hamlet" is that we as a reader are never quite sure whether Hamlet is going mad or whether it is all merely part of his plan. In act 1, scene 5, Hamlet is confronted with the Ghost of his dead father. The dead King Hamlet tells his son of his "foul and most unnatural murder ."The Ghost of King Hamlet tells Young Hamlet that he was murdered by his brother and is to avenge his father's death, "if thou didst thy dear father love ever, revenge his foul and most unnatural murder ."After witnessing this apparition and hearing its plea to be avenged, Hamlet vows to act mad "as I perchance hereafter shall think meet to put an antic disposition on" (act 1 scene 5, lines 171-172). This false madness can be used as a veil for Hamlet to hide behind. For instance, people will speak more freely in his presence as they think he is mad and makes no sense of their conversations. If he is caught out in any respect, he can merely ham up the madness and, therefore, in effect get himself "off the hook ."A factor to consider in Hamlet's madness and whether it is genuine or calculated is how Hamlet talks to certain characters.
             An excellent example of this is how he talks to Polonius. Polonius asks, "do you know me, my lord?" Hamlet replies, " excellent well, y'are a fishmonger." This would seem odd to Polonius as Hamlet knows he...