Danis,Katie

Mrs.Davis
Eng10HRed
05/19/16

Herfairjudgment:MadnessasHamartiainWilliamShakespeares
TheTragedyofHamlet,
PrinceofDenmark
SkilledtragediansmasterexploitationasAristotleoutlinesin
Poetics
,thetragichero
appealstohumanity'sfundamentalimperfectiontoinspirepityandfear,dissuadingreadersfrom
succumbingtotheirownhamartiasandcreatingcatharsisthroughconnection.Although
countlessauthorsdefineandrefinethetragicheroformula,narrativesperpetuatetheclassic
hamartiasofprideandangerthatSophoclesdelineatesin
OedipusRex
.However,distinguished
dramaturgeShakespearerefutesconvention:hepaintstragedywithcomedy,developscharacters
ratherthanaction,andinhismostanalyzedworkseeminglyneglectsthefreechoicenecessaryto
characterizeatragichero,redefiningtheprotagonistaudiencerelationship.In
TheTragedyof
Hamlet,PrinceofDenmark
,thetitlecharacterexemplifiesthedichotomybetweenappearances
andrealitythroughhisgenuineandfalsemadnesses,andhistrueinsanityinduceshistwo
Classicalhamartias.AsShakespeareexplorestheintellectualandemotionalconnectionsbetween
characterandreality,hedepictsHamletasablendofsanityandinsanitymoreengagingthanthat
ofanyothercharacterbecausehebalancesvulnerabilitywithferocity.Therefore,in
TheTragedy
ofHamlet,PrinceofDenmark
,ShakespearejuxtaposesHamlet'srecklessfitsandcontemplative
musingstoshowthatHamlet'sfeignedmadnessconcealsatrueinsanityShakespeare
incorporatesthistragicflawtolendvulnerabilitytohischaracterandrelatabilitytoafatalistic
narrative.

Hamletemploysverbalironyinhisfakedmadness,revealingthathisselfawareness,
howeverlimited,grantshimenoughsanitytoshareinthedramaticironyhecreatesthroughhis
interactionsthisdramaticironyintellectuallyconnectsHamlettotheaudience.DespiteHamlets
inconsistency,thereasonablemotivebehindhisfakedmadnessrenderhisactions
understandable.AsHamletvowstoavengehisfather'sdeath,heconfidestoHoratio,"AsI
perchancehereaftershallthinkmeet/Toputananticdispositionon"(1.5.18081).Hisconscious
decisionandlogicalreasoninginadoptingthisfaadecharacterizesamanincontrolofhis
mentalfacultiesandframesthedramaticironythatrendersHamletaccessible.Althoughthe
fundamentalinconsistencybetweenhisplansandactionsrendersthisclarityseemingly
uncharacteristicoftheindecisiveHamlet,thefalsifiedfacetofhispersonalitycollaborateswith
histruemadnesstocreateatragicyetrealisticcharacter.Simultaneously,Hamletsawarenessof
hisfaadecontrastswithGertrudesbetrayal,RosencrantzandGuildensternsduplicity,and
Claudiusscunning.ShakespearepaintsHamletastheonlyhonestcharacterintheplay.Hamlet
maintainsafalseveneernottofulfillhisambitionsbuttocompletehissearchfortruth,
highlightingtheunderstandablemotivesthatcertifyhisheroism.Althoughhisemotionalfragility
andoccasionallybrashactionsrevealhisinstability,theverbalironywithwhichHamletfakes
hismadnesshighlightshisunencumberedcleverness,revealingtheparallelsbetweenhisfactual
andfictionalmadnesses.AfterHamletpretendstomistakePoloniusforafishmonger,likelya
punonfleshmonger,anarchaictermforapanderer,Poloniusmuses,"'asaidIwasa
fishmonger.'Aisfargone"(2.2.184).ThedramaticironyShakespearecreatesthroughthis
interactionresembleshisportrayalofIagoin
Othello
.Hisdeceptioncreatesanintellectual
connectionwiththeaudience,asevidencedbytheoverwhelminganalyticalresponsetoaplay

thatbrokeAristotlesaxiomofaction:ratherthanfocusinghisdramaaroundtheonstageaction,
Shakespearecreatesdramathroughinaction,centeringthenarrativearoundthedevelopmentofa
characterthroughhissoliloquiesandverbalirony.Therefore,ShakespearecharacterizesHamlet
bywhathehasnotdoneratherthanwhathehasdone,andhisindecisiveness,theprecursortohis
hamartiaofanger,appealstothefundamentalimperfectionofhumannature.Inexaminingthe
comicandtragicelementsofthisimperfection,Shakespeareportraysvarioustypesofmadnessin
eachcharacter,creatingcomplexscenariosinwhichtheseversionsofmadnessinteract.The
relationshiptrianglebetweenOphelia,Laertes,andHamlethighlightseachcharactersmadness
andLaertessandHamletsconsequenttragicflaws.AfterPoloniussdeath,Ophelialosessense
ofherselfandhersurroundings.Herdisorganizedthinkingdisplaysitselfinherchaoticspeech:
Well,Godildyou!Theysaytheowlwasabakersdaughter.Lord,weknowwhatweare,but
notwhatwemaybe.Godbeatyourtable!(4.5.4244).Juxtaposedwiththeacutenessof
Hamlet'sspeech,Ophelia'smannerismsdisplayagenuineinstanceofthetypeofmadness
HamletfeignsshelackstheverbalironypresentinHamlet'sinteractions,incitingpityrather
thanintellectualconnection.Enragedbyhissister'sinsanityanddeath,LaertesreflectsHamlet's
madnessinhisobsessionwithfamilialties,whichincitesthebrashactionsthatcharacterizehis
madness.Therefore,eachcharacter,withtheexceptionofthevictimizedOphelia,succumbsto
histypeofmadness,thecatalystoftheuniquetragicflawthatcauseshisdownfall,andthefatal
interactionsofthesehamartiasquestionwhichcharacterdisplaysthegreatestheroism.Despite
Hamlet'svillainousactions,theconnectionheforgeswiththeaudiencethroughthedramatic
ironyofhisfakedmadnessandthesoliloquiesthatcharacterizehistruemadnessportraysHamlet
asatragicheroratherthanasimpletragicfigure.Inabriefmomentofclarity,Hamletrecognizes

hisowntruemadness,asevidencedbythelackofverbalironyandaffectedbehaviorinhis
discoursewithLaertes:Hamletisofthefactionthatiswronged/HismadnessispoorHamlets
enemy(5.2.202203).JustasHamletsinactionparallelshisactiontocharacterizehis
indecision,theabsenceofverbalironyverifiestheauthenticityofthisspeech.Suchgenuine
remorseshowsHamletsincreasedawarenessofhistragicflaw,thefinalelementofatragic
hero.Laertes'sstoicresponsetoHamlet'sapologyandhisparticipationinClaudius'smurderplot
showthatPolonius'sdeathandOphelia'smadnesscauseLaertestosuccumbtohisown
irrationalityandcatalyzethetragicangerthattopplesthepristineimagetheDanishmonarchy
maintains.Inhisquestforrevenge,LaertesmirrorsHamlet'smotives,andtheireventual
reconciliationsymbolizestheincreasedawarenessthatrevealseachman'sheroism.
ThedisparitybetweenHamlet'sexcessivecontemplationandrashbehaviorqualifieshim
asmadforanElizabethanperspectivebecauseheretainsenoughsanitytocreateanintellectual
connection,hisuniquemanifestationofmadnessbecomeshistragicflaw,creatinganemotional
connectionwiththeaudiencethatcausesthemtomirrorHamlet'scontemplation.Thesuicidal
obsessionHamletdisplaysbeforeandafterhefeignsmadnessdistinguishesthistraitasadefect
inhismindandcharacterratherthantheresultofavengefulcommitment.Immediatelyafter
GertrudeandClaudiusmarry,Hamletembarksonthefirstofmanyexistentialcrises,desiring,
"O,thatthistootoosulliedfleshwouldmelt"(1.2.129).Hamlet'smeditationsprovideawindow
intohisacuteyetficklemind,strengtheningtheconnectionhisverbalironyestablishes.His
indecisiveintrospectionlendsanemotionalrelatabilitytohischaracter,revealingthemotives
andcharacterflawsbehindhisbrazennessandcharacterizinghimasahero.Usingaheroic
charactertofacilitatetragedy,ShakespearejuxtaposesHamletsbrashactionsandcontemplative

boutstocharacterizethemadnessthatcatalyzeshisdownfall.Immediatelyafterscrutinizingthe
existentialimplicationsofYoricksdemise,HamletaudaciouslychallengesLaertesoverthe
lattersloveforOpheliaandsubsequentlydeniesthatsuchactionqualifiesasreckless:"For
thoughIamnotsplenitiveandrash,/YethaveIinmesomethingdangerous/Whichletthy
wisdomfear"(5.1.21921).Hamletsmanicdepressivetendenciessignifyapsychiatric
impairmenthowever,hisconsciousdecisiontofeignmadnessandtheverbalironyheemploys
toachievethisendindicateenoughsanitytoestablishtheintellectualconnectiononwhich
ShakespeareconstructstheemotionalconnectionthatcharacterizesHamletasheroic.The
juxtapositionShakespeareappliestoHamletsinconsistencyhighlightsthetragicflawthat
rendersHamletvulnerableand,therefore,relatable.Hamletsoutbursts,lackingtheverbalirony
presentinthespeechofhiscontrivedmadness,highlightthevulnerabilitythatemphasizeshis
humanity.AsheberatesOphelia,Hamletdeviatesfromhisusualdoubleentendresandprovides
aglimpseintohissuicidalmadness:"WhatshouldsuchfellowsasIdocrawlingbetweenearth
andheaven?"(3.2.12324).Thisrhetoricalquestionepitomizeshisinquiringandselfdestructive
nature,exemplifyingthecombinationofbrashnessandcontemplationthatcharacterizesthe
vulnerableHamlet.Sanityandmadness,thebalancedfacetsofHamletspersonality,createa
uniquecombinationofrelatability:hecombinesthepiteousreactiontoOpheliasconsuming
madnessandthecondemningreactiontoClaudiusspurecunning.Intreadingbetweenthesetwo
extremes,Shakespearearrivesattheemotionalintellectualblendmostappealingtohuman
nature.ShakespeareillustratesHamletsmadnessthroughhisimprudentjudgment,linkinghis
variousconceptionsofinsanitythroughthiscommontrait.AfterOphelialoseshersense,
Claudiuslaments,"poorOphelia/Dividedfromherselfandherfairjudgment/Withoutthe

whichwearepicturesormerebeasts"(4.5.9193).Inthismetaphor,Claudiuscompares
Opheliasnonsensicalthoughtpatternstothoseofamereanimalorinanimateobject,suggesting
thatproperjudgmentcharacterizessanity,thebasisforhumancivility.However,Shakespeares
portrayalofHamletimpliestheopposite:theemotionalconnectionHamletforgesthroughhis
obsessiveanddepressivemadnessappealstofundamentallyflawedhumannature,depicting
Hamletasatragichero.TheemotionalandintellectualconnectionsShakespearecreatescause
theaudiencetoadoptHamletscontemplativementality,questioninghissanityandanalyzingthe
ambiguityinallaspectsoftheplay.Thus,throughthemostfullyrealizedcharacterinthe
Elizabethanliteraryportfolio,ShakespearemakesHamletsofhispatrons.
Thus,
TheTragedyofHamlet,PrinceofDenmark,
ShakespearegrantsHamletmoderate
madnesstocatalyzethetraditionaltragicflawsthatincreasehisvulnerabilityand,therefore,his
believability.Variouscharactersportrayalsofmadnessexhibittheuniversalirrationalitythat
allowsmankindtounderstandHamletsmotivesandwhichLewisCarrolldemonstratesin
AlicesAdventuresinWonderland
:Wereallmadhere(41).Inevitableimperfection
perpetuatestherelevanceofthetragichero,anarchetypethattranscendstemporalfluctuationto
reachtheflawedheartofhumannature.AsthesympathyHamlet'shamartiageneratesinduces
inquiriesregardinghissanityandexistentialcontemplations,Shakespearesucceedsinexploiting
humanfrailtytomanipulatetheemotions.Inloveandliterature,vulnerabilityforgesthe
connectionsthatfacilitatecatharsis,releasingtheemotionsthatproprietycontains.The
enduranceofthetragicheroaffirmsdrama'ssecurepositioninsociety:freechoicecatalyzes
error,anderrornecessitatestragedy.

Bibliography
Carroll,Lewis.
AlicesAdventuresinWonderland
.TheMillenniumFulcrumEdition3.0.Project
Gutenberg,2008.Web.17May2016.