The Question of Hamlet's State of Mind

It is virtually incontrovertible that Hamlet, as a human being, is not healthy. While there may be no evidence of his physical health being compromised, his state of his mental health is certainly in question. And yet, can one truly state with reason that Hamlet is crazy? The existence of such an ability is made dubious by his alleged “master plan” to convince the court of Elsinore that he is quite mad; however, it is rationally impossible to dismiss his status as a symptom of scheming.
Let us begin with the obvious: Hamlet is suffering from depression or whatever one may wish to designate his gloominess as. His condition is logical as his father has just died and his mother has inappropriately hastily married her brother-in-law, Hamlet’s uncle. Feeling isolated and alone, he believes that he is the only one who cared about his father. His sentiments are rightfully justified too, considering his mother’s new husband characterizes his emotions as impious and unmanly. Hamlet’s soliloquy in scene II of Act I reveals his tormented state of mind as he remarks, “How weary, stale, flat, and unprofitable / Seem to me all the uses of this world!” His discourse cannot but reinforce the case for his depression. Furthermore, one could even argue that Hamlet is suicidal. In Scene IV of Act I, right before Hamlet is to engage the Ghost, he indicates his despondency by stating “I do not set my life in a pin’s fee.” Conventional wisdom, in an instance where conventional wisdom is correct, indicates that individuals are naturally inclined to value their lives; however, recent events have compelled Hamlet to lean the other way.
Although one might wish to immediately conclude that Hamlet’s behavior is a reflection of the chemical imbalance in his brain, Hamlet’s attempts to feign “madness” complicates the prognosis. To begin by eliminating possible conditions, I believe basic insanity can be easily dismissed. His odd conversation with Polonius and his frenzied encounter Ophelia can be easily attributed to his grand plan. During his dialogue with Guildenstein on the subject of the coming theatre troupe, Hamlet states that “my uncle-father and aunt-mother are deceived.” Hamlet’s elaboration, “I am but mad north-north-west: when the wind / is southerly I know a hawk from a handsaw,” provides the necessary support for his claim of deception. Furthermore, we cannot merely regard the Ghost as a evidence of a hallucination or delusional state of mind for Hamlet is not the only individual to see it: Horatio and the other guards are the first to notice the apparition. Hamlet’s dialogue with the ghost is more suspicious, however, considering that (1) he is the only to hear it; Horatio and the others do not seem to detect its voice as it eerily whispers “swear” later in that scene.
Thus, if insanity is sufficiently ruled out, then the only two solutions that answer Hamlet’s medical question are simply depression or something more than depression. In the end, I have to conclude the latter. Hamlet has himself so caught up in this quest for revenge while at the same lamenting the continuing of his existence. This obsession with uncovering the truth of his father’s murder while simultaneously being tormented by thoughts of the Existential paints a picture of a man whose mind is viciously wracked. Hamlet’s attempts to oddly cope with his depression by rectifying the wrongs of Elsinore distort his awareness of his own state. While he may think his feigned madness is only a sham and that sufficient evidence exists to support his convictions over his uncle’s deeds, in reality, his alleged ruse distorts his reality to his suspicions. Although certainty is non-existent, it is quite possible that Hamlet perversely resolves his depression through the determination to avenge.