Hamlet Essay Response #2 - This is Madness. This is Hamlet.

In our class discussions of Hamlet, a common theme is that of seeming versus being, that is, how the characters in Hamlet often have appearances or apparent actions that differ from their supposed intent. Of course, with so much of the play as solely dialogue, opinions are based less on inferences than they are in fact, but we have still been able to see a clear disconnect between Hamlet's thoughts and actions.

George Santayana, writing about Hamlet in 1908, also addressed this inner conflict in Hamlet's character, arguing that it is a sign of irrationality but not madness. In Santayana's words, Hamlet "acts without reflection, as he reflects without acting" which is "unreason... not madness". This conclusion does not seem unreasonable to me -- though in a perfect world thought and action would always go hand in hand, their separation is not indicative of insanity, but a rather common folly. Hamlet's perpetual inability to both think and act, however, also conveys his inner turmoil. His inner conflict is the subject of many of the critical essays I have read, and arguably the entire play, and Santayana's analysis of it is one of the more reasonable. Hamlet's intellect and mind are sound and fairly healthy; the fault is only with his will, with "a passionate weakness and indirection in his will" born of a lack of direction and hope. There can be no doubt that Hamlet lacks direction, as the nearly the entire play is just anticipation of his uncle's murder, and it's Shakespeare's longest play. He dedicates entire monologues to plans to uncover his uncle's guilt, to murder him, and the right way to do so, further demonstrating his clouded will. When he actually does commit the murder, however, he does so with barely any thought, knowing that he is about to die himself and so forced into immediate action.

Though Hamlet knows the task he has been set, and has a desire to accomplish it, his will and his thoughts are so disconnected that he has a great difficulty completing his uncle's murder. He seems determined to kill Claudius, yet inside he is deeply reluctant to do so -- and above even his outward murderous intent, he plays a harmless crazy for the royals. The layers of Hamlet's character build up around his inner conflict, his affected madness covering for the thoughts of his clear mind, which in turn hide his weak will. He seems to be many things, while analysts inside the play and out try to uncover who he truly is.