Essential question #7

Do you think that Hamlet has created his own insanity, or has he lost his sense of reality completely?

Hamlet has not created his own insanity, he has been through a terrible family crisis that made things seem unreal. What has happened to Hamlet has made him seem insane because of his haste and irrational actions, but it is the only way he can respond to his dilemma, considering he can't tell anyone about any of it. All of his anger, hurt, sadness, all of these mixed and deep feelings are building up inside him just waiting to burst out, which is the reason why he may seem insane at times, "I am but mad north-north west. When the wind is southerly, I know a hawk from a handsaw" (107). Hamlet, himself, admits that at times he seems crazy, but once again it is only because he has all these feelings building up inside him.