Post by mbenoit on Oct 24, 2011 21:45:21 GMT -5
Hamlet's quest for revenge has caused him to turn a blind eye to reality. His sole focus at this point of the play is to avenge his father's death. Hamlet says, "A villain kills my father, and, for that, I, his sole son, do this same villain send to heaven." (Pg. 103 Lines 76-78). He becomes so engrossed in this goal that everything else seems to fall by the wayside. He no longer cares how he may be perceived or what the consequences of his action may be. The way that he is acting will obviously be remembered throughout the rest of the play. Most everyone regards him as crazy and are wary of his actions. Hamlet is aware that the play will cause unrest within the royal family, yet he goes about it anyway. He says, "Marry, this is miching malhecho. It means mischief." (Pg. 88 Lines 147-149). He only seems interested in knowing that he is causing mischief. Claudius and Gertrude object to the play, but Hamlet insists that they continue watching. Hamlet also begins to turn away from his friends because he feels that they will not support his wild schemes of revenge. Rosencrantz says, "Good my lord, what is your cause of distemper? You do surely bar the door upon your own liberty if you deny your griefs to your friend." (Pg. 97 Lines 349-351). Rosencrantz wants Hamlet to confide in him what his true feelings are. Hamlet does have true friends that are concerned about his well being because of antic disposition. Hamlet disregards the people that care for him in order to go about his mission alone. The peak of Hamlet's unstable disposition is when he murders Polonius. He haphazardly kills Polonius, insisting that he was killing a rat. His intention was to murder Claudius, but the fact that he kills Polonius does not even seem to faze him. He continues on with the conversation he was carrying before as if nothing had happened. Hamlet is obviously unstable if taking a life does not seem to bother him. After he has spoken to his mother he says, "Indeed this counselor is now most still, most secret, and most grave who was in life a foolish prating knave" (Pg. 114 Lines 214-216). Hamlet feels the need to insult Polonius even in death. Death should have some affect on Hamlet's emotions, but it does not. He is now more determined than ever to avenge his father's murder. Hamlet's madness will most likely carry on into the remaining acts of the play.