Sanity: Boundaries of the Mind Essay -- essays research papers fc

Sanity Boundaries of the MindThe mind is a splendid thing. The boundaries that some champion put forward extend theirrationality is different in each and forevery person. In Shakespeares critical point, thebalance of sanity and madness is tested. Hamlets way of mentation is changed,but in a way that his personality is unaccompanied a front. By looking at the differentevents that Hamlet overcame, we can observe the choler for acting that manyreaders do not come across knowing the importance of acting is imperative whenquestioning Hamlets sanity, since he is only acting insane, and is rational andin control of himself throughout the play.For those who do not recall the story of Hamlet, this play is one of revenge,scandal, and lies. Hamlet, the prince of Denmark, is living a life that onewould not want to live. His father, the King, was murdered by his brother, whois now married to Hamlets mother. Hamlet beings his brilliant acting andconniving when he learns that he mustiness avenge his fathers murder. non only doesHamlet fool his family when acting insane, but the genius of his work has fooledcritics all along.As the play begins, the ever popular question Whos there? Betrays theinsecurity of Hamlets world (Salkeld and Shakespeare). Starting the play witha question was pure genius on Shakespeares part the symbolism of thequestionable state of Denmark which is in a state of shock and confusion,along with the people in it, leads the readers right into the questionably smooth life of Hamlet (Salkeld, Strachey). In act I, scene V of the play, theaudience learns of the antic disposition that Hamlet will be putting on(Shakespeare). In this scene, he tells the audience that he plans to act insanein order to get away with killing Claudius. He believes that by acting insane noone will suspect him of doing anything such as that. To many critics the wholeconduct of Hamlets madness is too ludicrous and in concomitant he has really gone mad( Stubbers). For Hamlet t o come out and say that he is planning to act insaneis, on the other hand, purely and adequately a man of genius (Strachey).Hamlets ability to imitate someone who is insane is astonishing. His ability todo so is what has confused readers and critics. Not only can his sanity be seen,but throughout different scene... ...g into theperformance to fool all. Being able to fool even his mother is what gave Hamletthe ability to complete his plans of murdering Claudius. Hamlet eventuallyavenged his fathers death and accomplished that by keeping his thoughts andemotions in order. The mind is a beautiful thing, which wasnt wasted.Works CitedOverview of Hamlet. Gale 2003 Gale Research. Student Resource Center. BlinnCollege Library, Bryan TX. 28 Nov. 2004 http//galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/SRC .Salkeld, Duncan. Madness in Shakespearean Tragedy. Shakespearean Criticismvol.35.Shakespeare, William. Hamlet. Roberts, Edgar V., Henry E. Jacobs, Eds.Literature An Introduction to Reading and Writing , 7th Edition, UpperRiver, Pearson, 2004. 1306-1406.Strachey, Edward. Essay on Madness (Hamlet). Gale 2003. Gale Research. StudentResouce Center. BlinnCollege Library, Bryan, TX 28 Nov. 2004 http//galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/SRC .Stubbers, George/ Thomas Hanmer. Critical Heritage. Shakespearean Criticismvol. 1. 1975. vol. 71Zeffirelli, Franco, Dir. Hamlet. Perf. Mel Gibson, Helena Bonham Carter, AlanBates, and Glenn Close, Warner Bros, 1991.