MaDnEsS

I don't think the king really thinks Hamlets crazy. I think he is suspicious of how much Hamlet knows about the murder. After the play that Hamlet has the players perform, King Claudius says to Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, "I like him not, nor stands it safe with us to let his madness range. Therefore prepare you. I your commission will forthwith dispatch, and he to England shall along with you." Before the play, the king, still isn't certain whether Hamlet is insane or not, he is still gathering evidence for the reason behind his behavior. It is only after Hamlet contructs a play that models the murder, that Claudius decides he must be removed from the castle due to his "madness". But is Claudius really sending him away because he believes he's mad or is it because he knows that Hamlet knows his secret? I believe it is the second.

2 questions

Does King Claudius know that Hamlet knows about the murder?

Why Does Hamlet choose not kill the king?

Hamlets L.O.V.E.

I think before his father died, Hamlet really did love Ophelia or at least maybe liked her. Because in Act 1 scene 3, Ophelia tells her father about the love notes that Hamlet sends her but we do not know whether these notes were sent before or after his fathers death. I'm guessing before and if thats so then Hamlet really was interested in Ophelia. When his father dies though Ophelia probably isn't as important anymore because Hamlet is focused on his grief and revenge. He begins to push Ophelia away because he believes his love for her and women to be trivial matter compared to avenging his father. This would explain Hamlets dissapproval of Ophelia and his rude comments. So yes, I think Hamlet did, at one time, love Ophelia but that love became overshadowed by death.

Act 3 Scene 1

In act 3 scene 1 Hamlet continues with his mysterious disposition. In this scene he does not really present himself as crazy to his family, just cynical and sarcastic. He takes out his anger on Ophelia which, to the King and Queen, contradicts Polonius’ view that he was crazy because of un-answered love. He does not sound insane to me in this scene, just disgusted and annoyed. Hamlet seems to be more fed up with Ophelia and her love than desiring of it. But this poses the question whether he was just acting crazy in front of Ophelia in act 2 or whether it was genuine. I lean more towards the acting side because after Hamlet sees the ghost, he tells Horatio and the others that he is going to go insane for little while. But if he really did love Ophelia, maybe the scene in act 2 was symbolic of letting go, rather than insanity. Anyway, Hamlets “plan of action” I think is just getting more complicated and it’s turning out exactly the way he wants it too…so far. In scene 1, we as readers are given more insight into his character, as confusing as it might be.