Is Hamlet Rational Or Foolish

Proctor 1

Andrew Proctor

English 12/ Mrs. Hogan

Hamlet Analysis

November 28, 2016

Rational or Foolish?

The world is filled with ups and downs, and with a great deal of time to think about them, can lead to thoughts blown way out of proportion and ultimately, insanity. Hamlet's to be or not to be soliloquy from the play Hamlet, written by William Shakespeare, portrays something that crosses every human's mind, even for the slightest of moments; to keep pushing forward or to give up on life. Suicide is then a choice when situations become rough, but a cowardly act. Life is valuable and the only approach to thrive must is to live it. Suicide does not solve the problem, but hide it. That person will be judged in the long run by the

I will bestow him, and will answer well

The death I gave him” (Hamlet Act 3, Scene 4, 173-179).

Although his sanity is questionable in earlier scenes, the impulsive murder of Polonius is the first act that unquestionably proves Hamlet’s insanity. Hamlet tells is mother Gertrude that he has killed Polonious, and that it was well deserved. Yet, he does understand that these will come with great consequences from the heavens.

He is currently talking to his mother and just after killing Polonious, Hamlet cries, “Save me, and hover o'er me with your wings, You heavenly guards! What would your gracious figure” (Act 3, Scene 4, Lines 106-110). While Polonious lay dead in the closet, the spirit ghost appears and Hamlet is crying for help since he had just killed, which is sin. What portrays him as mad is that although numerous witnesses of the ghost in the Act I allow the audience to reasonably conclude that the ghost is real, Hamlet is the only one to see the ghost in the closet scene. There are several accepted explanations for Gertrude’s inability to see the ghost. Certain arguments say that the reason lies in Gertrude herself; Gertrude’s innocence protects her from seeing the ghost Proctor

He rages alone on how they have just told him that he should stay in Denmark since he would be next in line for reign. Also, Hamlet is triggered by the sheer thought of his Uncle and Mother being together. They are getting married is father, King Hamlet had only past away two months ago. Is feels distraught on ow his mother could do such an act and contemplates committing suicide. He states that he wish his “flesh would melt” since his religion declares that suicide is a sin and he does not want to commit this action for the heavens. In a society that judged suicide, Shakespeare seemed to incorporate suicide into his plays frequently. For example, in Hamlet, Shakespeare has several characters toy with the idea of suicide and even have some of those same characters commit suicide. Throughout the play, Hamlet continuously thinks about suicide and his famous “To be or not to be” soliloquy is about whether or not he should kill himself. The opening to this soliloquy,

“To be, or not to be--that is the