venge of his father's death. At this moment in the play, there is little doubt about his state of mind, or intentions. However, the next act belies Hamlet's sanity and reason.
             The article "Shakespeare and Bedlam" by Tiffany, Grace also proves Hamlet's "antic disposition" she describes that Hamlet is very sane indeed. Beneath his strange choice of imagery involving points of the compass, the weather, and hunting birds, he is announcing that he is calculatedly choosing the times when to appear mad. Hamlet is saying that he knows a hunting hawk from a hunted "handsaw" or heron, in other words, that, very far form being mad, he is perfectly capable of recognizing his enemies. Hamlet's madness was feigned for a purpose. He warned his friends he intended to fake madness, but Gertrude as well as Claudius saw through it, and even the slightly dull-witted Polonius was suspicious. His public face is one of insanity but, in his private moments of soliloquy, through his confidences to Horatio, and in his careful plans of action, we see that his madness is assumed.
             In act two, Hamlet appears again; although it now becomes apparent he has lost the conviction that, he demonstrated earlier to complete his destiny as prescribed by the ghost of his father. During this act, Hamlet spends most of his time reading and talking with Polonius, Guildenstern, Rosencrantz, and the players. At the very end of this second act, Hamlet refers to his filial duty to avenge his father. Instead of carrying out the destiny described by his father's spirit role of the vengeful son, Hamlet exhibits insane behaviors. This is illustrated by his statements to Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, "I know not-lost my mirth, forgone/ all custom of exercises" (2.2.280-281). Hamlet then admits he is merely feigning insanity with, "I am but mad north-north-west. When the wind is southerly, I know a hawk from a handsaw" (2.2.347). Admitting he is only...