Hamlet Essay Outline
Baljot Deol
Title – Hamlet’s Anti-Disposition Not Insanity
Introduction Hook- Can frivolous or deliberate playfulness be described as madness and insanity? The correct term used to describe this is antic disposition.
Background - Hamlet is a tragic play written in 1599 by the popular British writer, William Shakespeare. The play is based on the real life story of Prince Amleth who experiences the murder of his father, King Horwendil. ("The Death of Hamlet and the Making of Hamlet by Stephen Greenblatt") Similarily, Hamlet endures his father’s brutal death and is later informed, by his father’s ghost, the real cause of the King’s death. In fact Claudius, Hamlet’s uncle, murders the King to usurp the throne of Denmark and marry Hamlet’s mother, Gertrude. Accordingly, Hamlet becomes furious…show more content… Body 1
• Many occasions in which Hamlet says he is not crazy, but only acting like he was o talking to the ghost “As I perchance hereafter shall think meet. To put an Antic Disposition” (1.5, 179-180)
• reveals from now he will put have an antic disposition o friends come and see will act crazy but pretending reality
• antic disposition part of plan to find out if Claudius did kill his father and take revenge.
• Mask of insanity only in front of certain people and even they believe his madness has a reason: o “Though it lacked form a little, was not like madness” (3.1, 163-165)
• gets idea of feigning insanity from Horatio’s warning (when he meets his father’s spirit) o nothing to do with mental state (rational act)
Body 2
• Hamlet acted rationally and had a plan together. This does not make you crazy. He is just reacting to his father.
• Compare Hamlet to Ophelia o Both of them have tragic events in their life o She sings about her father’s death o Hamlet does not completely lose it (become