In Shakespeare's Hamlet, Hamlet himself raises the issue of madness when he tells Horatio that he will "...put an antic disposition on" (I.v): act insane. This is part of his plan to get revenge. His act is convincing, as seen from Claudius's famous line: "Madness in great ones must not unwatched go." The Queen also considers Hamlet mad. When asked how Hamlet is she replies:
Mad as the sea and wind when both contend
Which is the mightier....(Iv.i)
Two issues confuse the question of Hamlet's madness, however. One, is he pretending to be mad throughout the play, or does he actually cross over into madness at some point in the play? Second, Hamlet is certainly depressed or melancholic in the play. How does this depression relate to what the characters refer to as "madness"?
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