Call Me Crazy?????........
"How strange or odd some'er I bear myself, (As I perchance hereafter shall meet to put an antic disposition on) That you, at suc times, seeing me, never shall, with arms encumbered thus, or this head shake, or by pronouncing of some doubtful phrase, As 'Well, well we know..."
Hamlet speaks to Marcellus and Horatio, warning then that if he should appear to be acting crazy, they must not let anybody know what has happened that night. (This is the night that Hamlet saw the ghost of his father). He is warning them that he is not actually crazy.
Hamlet is only acting crazy to distract Claudius, Gertrude and the rest. He needs to distract people while he snoops around for more information concerning his father's murder. (Let's face it: ghosts aren't exacly reliable sources of information). We know he is not crazy because Bernardo, Marcellus, and Horatio also saw the ghost (before Hamlet did, I might add)
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I did not expect to have reveleations about the novels we read for class. But through writing my thoughts on just one quote and commenting on others' blogs. I managed to have several epiphanies. Two in particular, one on Hamlet's... Read More
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Dennis G. Jerz on Call Me Crazy?????........: Just because the ghost is real
Diana Geleskie on Call Me Crazy?????........: Oh the argument that will neve
Oh the argument that will never be resolved but is just so much darn fun to have! Hamlet, crazy or no?
There are so many pros to him being crazy, while at the same time, so many cons; and with Hamlet being sane, same thing.
You bring up a valid point - Hamlet isn't the first to see the ghost. However, I don't think that Hamlet's insanity (or lack thereof) ended with seeing a ghost.
Just because the ghost is real (in the world of the play) does not preclude Hamlet from seeing the ghost and also being (or going) insane. The director and actor will of course have to choose one interpretation and run with it, but one reason Shakespeare's plays are still played to day is that the lines give us so much material for alternate interpretations.
We can, of course, draw usefully from an exploration of questions about performances and staging. Still, in lit class we focus on the lines, rather than any one particular performance (historical or ideal).
I like your interpretation. It is true that they saw the ghost as well. Isn't it possible, though, that he could have gone crazy because of the ghost? It's just a thought. There are many different ways you can interpret Hamlet. You've got to love these types of characters.