Hamlet’s Feigned Madness

Here, we see how right from the beginning Hamlet is planning a scheme to avenge his father’s death.

Hamlet’s madness is feigned because he openly declares his madness; he does not act on impulse, and is in constant contact with Horatio.

When he is drunk asleep, or in his rage;

Or in th’ incestuous pleasure of his bed;

At game, a-swearing, or about some act

That has no relish of salvation in’t –

(3.

As the play progresses, one would think that the madness of Hamlet that is not real had taken a turn and has evolved into such a passion for revenge that it grew into real insanity. It’s just an attempt to gain some attention. That would be scann’d:

A villain kills my father; and for that,

I, his sole son, do this same villain send

To heaven. One has to remember that his original intent was to kill Claudius whom he thought was behind the curtain. They do not consider the consequences of their actions. Hamlet states once again that he is not really mad but instead only feigning madness to stimulate an outcome pertaining to avenge his father’s death.