Shakespeare's Hamlet

Madness = Death

Hamlet Paper = Madness

Hamlet Paper = Death

Adam Blaylock

Mrs. Martin

January 19, 2005

Shakespeare's Hamlet is a tragedy that seems to know no end. It lives timelessly in cinemas, theaters, and books around the world for reasons that many do not know, or acknowledge. The primary reason for this work's longevity is that many of the themes in Hamlet are easily related to, even in today's world. This seems particularly true when it comes to madness, which makes an appearance in every day life, even if not to the extremes of Hamlet. In Hamlet, it can be found that many characters' madness causes a resultant death.

One example of this idea is the maddening of Laertes. The death of his father, Polonius, and the apparent insanity of Ophelia brings about a fit of craziness in Laertes. His actions resemble those of a post-traumatic stress victim. This seems particularly true when Laertes states, “To cut his throat i' th' church,” (Shak IV.7.144). Such a crime in this day and age would constitute an immediate “Go to Jail, do not pass go, do not collect $200” card from the local kingdom, as well as an immediate removal of any chance of going to heaven. Given the importance of religion in Shakespeare's period, such reckless disregard for the believed consequences of his actions shows the level of dementia that has overtaken Laertes. This madness, in turn, puts in motion the actions that eventually take Hamlet's, and his own, life. In Laertes's own words, “Mine and my father's death come not upon thee, nor thine on me,” (V.2.162). He states this in order to prove and acknowledge that insanity brought forth these deaths.

The next character consumed by madness is Polonius. His madness, however, is caused not by stress, but by a hunger for power. This hunger for power can be shown through his attempts to control of his children. The best example of his control over his children is seen in this quotation, “Do not believe his vows, for they are brokers,” (I.3.136). The later revocation of that order, when he is in position to gain the