Essay test

2. Madness and mental instability prove to be a central, recurring issue throughout the play.
Some have argued that Hamlet’s eccentric behavior is simply a means deliberately employed
in order to achieve a desired end. Others have suggested that Hamlet’s madness is genuine.
Still others choose a position somewhere in the middle. Providing specific examples that
support your position, write an essay that considers the extent to which Hamlet’s madness is
feigned, genuine, or a combination of the two.

In classical tragedy by William Shakespeare, Hamlet. As hamlet became well-known

by people globally. There was a debate about hamlet mental health, whether or not he was
not sane throughout of the story. As sane or Insane both were human nature. Being sane can
be the ordinary way that most do to make a human reach to the goals. As mental health is
dedicated, an action that be chosen can affect the way to the end result. As an act that filled
with strategic planning to make things go specific ways as demanded. In the case of Prince
Hamlet, acting insane is a strategy to confuse his enemy. As everyone was watching every
step he took and that could keep him away from doing the revenging plan that he had in
mind, Insanity would keep everyone to stay away and not going to know about his plan.
As anyone who is approaching him cannot be trusted since most are there for a reason
that was benefitting the opposite side of him. He cannot let no one knows his step and the
path and plan he had, acted mad is one way to trick his enemies and be as planned in peace.
Except for the people that he trusted to know and be the witness to claim the fact that he was
crafted crazy. The first glance of Hamlet being crazy is when he felt not safe for the first time
around his friend, to be in disguise, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. Just to be safe, Hamlet
was choosing to act crazy because he knows that both of friend were sent by the king and the
queen just to spy on him. As he said, “I know the good King and Queen have sent for you”
(act II, scene II). These show that Hamlet was just being smart and played it safe, in this case,
act crazy so that both of his friends could just go back to tell the lord of Rosencrantz and
Guildenstern. That he was just lost his mind and do not have to be worried about him. So that
they could leave him alone. When Rosencrantz and Guildenstern go back to Claudius and
Gertrude. They inform the king and the queen that has nothing to be worried about Hamlet,
“Nor do we find him forward to be sounded, But with a crafty madness keeps aloof” (act III,
scene I). This is shown that not just hamlet is creative in the way of keeping himself out of
being the target but he can actually trick a group of people to believe in what he wanted them
to believe seen him as he wants them to see. Everything goes as planned. Later, Hamlet even
reveals to one of his trusted people, Horatio about the plan of his that he just acted mad and
as Horatio seen it, he shall not say anything about it and goes with the flow. “Not this by no
means that I bid you do: Let the bloat king tempt you again to bed, Pinch wanton on your
cheek, call you his mouse, And let him, for a pair of reechy kisses Or paddling in your neck
with his damned fingers, Make you to ravel all this matter out That I essentially am not in
madness, But mad in craft.”(act III, scene IV) from that, this show that Hamlet was “mad in
craft”, he was chosen who he shall trust and act differently around each different people.
Horatio was sure to be one of the people that he was trusted to told about his plan. In the
quote, Hamlet claims himself to inform to his friend that he was not really going insane but it
was just an act. As he was telling Horatio that he should act normal and is he is and kept the
secret for Hamlet.

Hamlet was everyone target, all of the eyes are on him. Making it hard for him to took
a large step on the revenges plan he has. From that being a strange, odd person help other to
look at him as not such a pain. As he was an considrates person, his plan of this craft mad
was working and be able to trick other character in the story very well, even though he was
act this nonsense to everyone. Horatio will be the only witness that he had and also the only
one to believe that Hamlet was still his old self, normal as others. As in the normal society,
people were reaching out what is best for them without caring that something is don’t belong
to us. To be able to survive in this competitive society of people with the obsession of power,
sometimes the smartest way to live is just knowing when to played dumb.

4. Next to Hamlet, arguably the most complex character in the play is Claudius. Write an
essay that considers the complex and often contradictory nature of Claudius’ character. This
essay must look beyond the obvious fact that Claudius is a murderer who has usurped his
brother’s throne and married his brother’s wife. It must consider his effectiveness or
ineffectiveness as a political figure and a husband.

In classical tragedy by William Shakespeare, Hamlet. One of the main characters,

Claudius has been mention by the readers. Questioning about an action that the king does is
effectiveness or not. It obvious that being powerful is not easy, as so many rivals are all ready
to just steal the throne but to maintain into the spot. Taking care of others lives. So does
Claudius, no matter what others might think, he still choose what best for his people and truly
care about the people around him.

Claudius was written down to be the villain of the story. As he is the opposite side
of Hamlet, but if look beyond all of those things and just look at him as a king who tries his
best to make his country going forward. This political figure actually does his job very well.
As he giving his speech about his brother death “To bear our hearts in grief, and our whole
kingdom To be contracted in one brow of woe”(act I scene II). This was show one of the
characteristics that Claudius is maturity and leadership of himself. He lets people grief and
mourn but still, by the word he said that his people should move on and united as a country.
As that is what important for him as a king, to be present and moving forward, being tough.
So they can all step forward together as a whole and cannot leave the trace of being weak so
other enemies from other countries could get in. did not seem to be so strict and dictatorate,
“Take thy fair hour, Laertes. Time be thine, And thy best graces spend it at thy will.” (act I
scene II). This is when Claudius give his people the freedom to do thing things he wanted.
Claudius was just doing what other king did but didn't get much attention in the story since
the story is about revenge of the son to his uncle that he gets from his selfish father, who not
caring about the danger that came with the cause that he ask his only son to do. If we just
took a stepped back and exclude Hamlet’s perspective out of sight. Everyone seems to be
happy about the new king. Polonius, Gertrude, and other character did not a rebellion against
Claudius for being the new king either.
In the meanwhile, in case of being a good loving husband. He was giving Gertrude
what is best for her, yet taking good care of her. He also giving Gertrude enough love and
attention. As Claudius once said it himself “The Queen his mother Lives almost by his looks,
and for myself (My virtue or my plague, be it either which), She is so conjunctive to my life
and soul That, as the star moves not but in his sphere, I could not but by her.” (act IV, scene
VII). Claudius has shown how he was not a cold blood heart murderer here, as he also cares
about Gertrude feelings for a bit about how he cannot kill Hamlet yet and not by his own
hand for the sake of his wife. Also, by saying that she is conjunctive to his life, meaning at
least he is caring about her. Even though at the end of the story, He just let the ambitions of
killing hamlet overpowering the love he has for Gertrude causing all these tragedies to an
end.

There was still a debate about is Claudius action was good or bad as a king. Even
Though in the story Shakespeare did not let the readers to see much of Claudius perspective
but shown only Hamlet whos think that Claudius is the villain in the story. Making the
readers think that he was a bad guy of the story. If we step it out and only look at the “king’s
position” where he has to maintain the whole country to be forwarded. No matter what other
going to thoughts about him, he did what best he could do. By all the means, keep moving
forward not back. His ambition was strong enough that he took it first than love. As the great
achievement shall be made with a great sacrifice.