enge of his father's death. There is no confusion
             about Hamlet's character. He has said earlier that he is what he appears to be, and there is
             no reason to doubt it. In the next act, however, Hamlet's presence and situation suddenly,
             and with out demonstrated reason, becomes strongly confused.
             When Hamlet appears again in acts two and three, it seems that he has lost the
             conviction that was present earlier. He has yet to take up the part assigned to him by the
             ghost. He spends the act walking around, reading, talking with Polonius, Rosencrantz,
             Guildenstern, and the players. It is not until the very end of act two that he even mentions
             vengeance. If he had any of the conviction shown earlier he would have been working on
             his vengeance. So, instead of playing the part of vengeful son, or dropping the issue
             entirely, he hangs out in the middle, pretending to be mad. This is shown when he says to
             Rosencrantz and Guildenstern "I know not-lost all my mirth, forgone all custom of
             exercise" (2.2.). Later he tells them that he is just feigning madness when he says, "I am
             but mad north-north-west, when the wind is southerly, I know a hawk from a handsaw"
             (2.2.). Admitting so blatantly that he is only feigning madness would imply that he is
             comfortable with it. He also seems to be generally comfortable with acting. This is evident
             when he says, "there is nothing either good or bad but thinking makes it so" (2.2.). Hamlet
             is saying that thought shapes reality. Base
             ...