Madness vs antic disposition

Hamlet

Act 3 scene 4

"this is not madness"

• Polonius’s death was as a consequence of Hamlet’s antic disposition → "this is not madness"

• Puts on an antic disposition →  "you are a fishmonger"  to Polonius

  • too comical and clever to be genuinely mad

    • even Polonius notes "how pregnant sometimes his replies are''.

  • Hamlet ‘turns on’ his antic disposition with such ease → it is not real or least exaggerated

Hamlet

There's method in my madness

Although not truly mad, Hamlet quite clearly puts on his madness and states that there is method in what he is doing.

Hamlet

"[...] The spirit that I have seen \n May be the devil, and the devil hath power"

The Ghost of Hamlet's father always seems to be associated with Hamlet's is-he-or-isn't-he insanity. Here Hamlet is quite clearly questioning whether or not the ghost is 'the devil'. It seems that Hamlet is blaming the ghost for his temporary and fake madness.

Hamlet

Act 3 scene 1

"this is not madness"

* Hamlet’s ‘crafty madness’ enables him to pursue revenge and comment satirically on the corruption of the court; Ophelia’s real madness is the consequence of grief.

Horatio

Act 1 Scene 4

There assume some other horrible form,/Which might deprive your sovereignty of reason/And draw you into madness?

• Verb "assume" suggests uncertainty and doubt - he is worried that the Ghost may eventually turn

• Hamlet to madness - foreshadowing.

• Verb "deprive" suggests torture, connotations of loss of sanity - foreshadowing further events.

• Could provoke Hamlet's antic disposition. Verb "draw" suggests an unwillingness.

Horatio

Act 1 Scene 5

These are wild and whirling words my lord.

• Alliteration of elongated 'w' sounds Horatio's feelings of how Hamlet's plan is ridiculous and doesn't fully believe him.

• Also, stresses his uncertainty and caution around the subject. \n

• Use of the phrase "my lord" accentuates Horatio's loyalty and trust in Hamlet despite his doubts about his actions.

• Emphasises Horatio's position as voice of reason and foreshadows the plot and Hamlet's constant inaction

• Syndetic listing elongates the phrase emphasising Horatio's lack of conviction in Hamlet's plan →

AO5

Critic

Debate on antic disposition, Johnson, modern →

* Hamlet's madness is **"clearly feigned"**. 

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AO5

Critic

De-yan 2009 → Hamlet and masculinity

Hamlet who has an idealistic view of man and a meditative temperament is ashamed of the death of masculinity in his character especially compared to the other men around him

AO5

Critic

Samuel Johnson → 18th century

“of feigned madness of Hamlet there appears no adequate cause for he does nothing of which he might not have done with the reputation of sanity

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Viewpoint

Oedipal complex → Freud/ Ernest Jones 19th century

Oedipal complex → infantile desires for mother takes up most of his thoughts and leads to innaction

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Viewpoint

Renaissance

concerned with madness

Portrayed more violently dramatised melancholy and insanity regarding the ghost