How Madness Affect Hamlet? How It Makes Him Act Throughout The Play?

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The theme of Madness in the Character Hamlet
Introduction
In Shakespeare’s play Hamlet, the theme of madness is exhibited through two characters, Hamlet and Ophelia. These two characters seem to be suffering internally and appear burdened. Their madness stem from the loss of their fathers as both were heavily affected by the said losses. In the end, however, the madness of Hamlet and Ophelia leads them to their tragic ends, but for Hamlet, it comes after he had avenged his father’s death. Hamlet grieved his father, and this drove him to accept the challenge to avenge him. However, this was the start of a long journey that would end with him dead. For his plan to work, Hamlet decided to feign madness to an incredibly high level of success. People started to believe he was mad and acted accordingly while around him. However, unknowingly to them, he was faking it and was in pursuit of the truth about the death of his father. He had been tasked by his father and thus felt the weight of the responsibility. For a long time, he lives like a madman because it allowed him to say things that would otherwise have been considered malicious and criminal. One thing that stands out in Hamlet’s madness is the simple fact that he never lost sight of the target. He remained true to his goal and albeit living an undesirable life that is uncharacteristic of princes, he finally managed to avenge his father’s death and killed Claudius.
Madness Through the Character of Hamlet
Throughout the play, Hamlet manages to use his madness to drive the story as he wished. First, he makes use of his madness to act in a manner that is not fit for a prince. His intention was to make sure people ignored him and what he said. He wanted to fool everyone and make sure he carried out his plan without raising any alarms. At one instance, he remarks, “As I perchance hereafter shall think meet, to put an antic disposition on.” From these words, one gathers that Hamlet knew what he wanted and thus had to act mad as a means to the end he was plotting. Acting as a madman offers him a safe space to orchestrate a plan. “Give him heedful note, for I mine eyes will rivet his face, and, after, we will both our judgments join in censure of his seeming.” These were words that came from a supposed madman. Hamlet’s plan was following in place, but his search for a second opinion shows that he was still uncertain of Claudius’s guilt.
It should be noted that Hamlet chose his words wisely. Nothing that he said even in his mad character came out as misplaced. He was calculative and made sure he used his ‘madness’ to accelerate his plan. He wanted to confuse those around him and to make them believe he was mad. At one point, he confirms to Rosencrantz and Guildenstern that he was not mad, albeit in words that suggested he was indeed mad. “I am but mad north-north-west. When the wind is southerly, I know a hawk from a handsaw.” These were wise words that could easily be ignored because they were coming from...