h his facial expression when he sees the play. No man who is insane could have thought up such a plan.Hamlet again displays the ability to reason when he goes to talk to his mother about his plan for revenge. Hamlet reveals to his mother that he is aware of Claudius's attempt to send him to his death in England: "There's letters seal'd: and my two schoolfellows, / Whom I will trust as I will adders fang'd, / They bear the mandate; they must sweep my way, / And marshal me to knavery." (3.4.225-228). This shows that Hamlet is aware of what is occurring around him and he possesses the ability to analyze the actions of others and discover the secret plots that are lain against him. An insane man would have such sharp sense of the secret plans everywhere.Hamlet's final display of his ability to reason occurs before his fencing match. Hamlet is talking about death with Horatio and about his eminent fight with Laertes:“ There is (a) specialprovidence in the fall of a sparrow. If it be now, 'tisnot to come; if it be not to come, it will be now; if itbe not now, yet it will come. The readiness is all. Sinceno man of aught he leaves knows, what is 't to leavebetimes?” (5.2.233-238). Hamlet states that death will occur when it wants to and there is nothing you can do about it. His statements show that Hamlet has the ability to reason and contemplate death.Hamlet also gives proof that he understands the difference between right and wrong, another important characteristic of sanity, throughout the play. Hamlet first reveals this knowledge when he plans the "Mousetrap" to try to determine Claudius’ guilt by judging his reaction to the play: "There is a play to-night before the king;One scene of it comes near the circumstanceWhich I have told thee of my father's death:I prithee, when thou seest that act afoot,Even with the very comment of thy soulObserve mine uncle: if his occulted guiltDo not itself unkennel in one speech,It is a da...
