Madness

Question 1

Hamlet

1,5

Answer 1

To put an antic disposition on

Question 2

Polonius

2,2

Answer 2

Though this be madness, yet there is method in it

Question 3

Hamlet

2,2

Answer 3

I am but mad north north west. When the wind is southerly, I know a hawk from a handsaw

Question 4

Claudius
3,1

(About Ophelias death)

Answer 4

Poor Ophelia divided from herself and her fair judgment

Question 5

Claudius

3,1

Answer 5

Madness in great ones must not unwatched go

Question 6

Typical revenge tragedies

Answer 6

The revenger often fakes madness to help him carry out his plan without a rousing suspicion

“Antic disposition” 1,5
Polonois thinks he’s lovesick
Claudius thinks something else
R + G watch Hamlet to find out why he’s mad

Question 7

Madness as a result of grief

Answer 7

Hamlet views the world as being “disjoint and out of frame”

He think “Denmark’s a prison” highlight claustrophobic feeling he’s trapped

He’s the only one that mourns the death of his father at the wedding - everyone pretending to be okay

Visit of the ghost exacerbates it

Question 8

Hamlets madness is calculated

Answer 8

In 2,2 hamlet mocks polonois and says complicated jokes - sane

Polonois notices “this be madness yet there is method in’t”

Later on Claudius doesn’t think his madness represent true lovesickness he thinks he “puts on this confusion” 3,1

Question 9

Genuine madness

Answer 9

1,2 suicidal soliloquy
He wants to die “if self slaughter” wasn’t a sin

Ghost message puts pressure on him to take revenge but also questions his beliefs and who he trusts.

3,4 hamlet can see ghost but Gertrude cannot

5,1 he warns laertes that “something dangerous which let thy wisdom fear” mad passion that laertes should avoid getting into a fight 5,1

5,2 hamlet declared he was really mad - talks in 3rd person “his madness is poor hamlets enemy” adopting split personality

Question 10

Opethlia genuine madness

Answer 10

4,5 king says “poison of deep grief”

The man she loves tells her “I loved you not” and he then kills her father
His funeral funeral done quickly in “hugger mugger” 4,5

Her “speech is nothing”4,5 marked by “half sense”
She sings songs which reflect death
Can’t act accordingly and because we knew what she was like before madness we can say she’s consumed by it now 3,1

Question 11

Why is othelia mad

Answer 11

Rooted in painful experience

Trapped in a lonely life in Elsinore

Brother controls her life ( so did her dad)

Father dead

Hamlets discarded her