one, Howe`er my haps, my joys were ne`er begun.” (Guth, Hamlet, p.857, 4.3.67-69) A lot of people and some critics state that Hamlet is insane because of the way he acts toward his mother; but those people obviously didn’t read the play carefully enough.Hamlet, in the scene in his mother’s bedroom, tells Gertrude by himself that his insanity is faked: “It is not madness That I have Utter`d: bring me to the test, And I the matter will re-word, which madness would Gambol from.” (Guth, Hamlet, p 850, 3.4.143-146). Gertrude, like Polonius and Claudius, does not believe in Hamlet`s insanity. Even without his confirmation, the queen sees through his act. While Hamlet is reprimanding her, she is so upset that she describes his words as “daggers” (Guth, Hamlet, p. 848, 3.4.98) and claims, “Thou hast cleft my heart in twain” (Guth, Hamlet, p. 850, 3.4.158).The words of madman could not have penetrated her soul to such an extent. (Johnston, p. 28). The Queen takes every word Hamlet says seriously, proving that she respects him and believes him. She also believes in Hamlet`s confession of sanity immediately. Instead of questioning him, Gertrude promises to keep it in secret: “Be thou assur`d, if words be made of breath, And breath of life, I have no life to breathe What thou hast said to me.” (Guth, hamlet, p. 851, 3.4.199-201). D.A. Traversi in his “An Approach to Shakespeare,” points out that “Hamlet’s concern with action, upon which his dilemma is finally concentrated, is most fully developed, immediately after his confrontation with his mother” (358). If Hamlet was truly insane, this is the scene where he would show it the most, however, he proves, once more, that he is very sane. Sidorowicz-8Polonius is the third person, which can s...
