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Vicky Nguyen

Ms. White

AP English Literature and Composition P.1

10 March 2022

The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark Analysis

As Gautama Buddha once stated, “Greed is an imperfection that defiles the mind, hate is

an imperfection that defiles the mind, delusion is an imperfection that defiles the mind” (Bodhi

and Ñāṇamoli 186). Within Buddhism, greed, hate, and delusion are considered the “three

poisons” that derive from one’s ignorance (“The Three Poisons”). Greed encourages individuals

to create immoral and unattainable goals, such as the obsession with power and revenge, in order

to obtain self-satisfaction. Hate leads to intense conflict with others and it can destroy one’s

mental health. Lastly, delusion shows how the lack of awareness of one’s reality and the truth

prevents individuals from understanding others and their circumstances. The three poisons

appear within the play, The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark by William Shakespeare;

Claudius’s greed influences him to kill his brother to become king, Laertes and Hamlet’s hatred

towards their fathers’ murderers, and Hamlet’s delusion in seeking revenge enables him to

contribute to Ophelia’s madness by breaking her heart and killing her father. In The Tragedy of

Hamlet, Prince of Denmark by William Shakespeare, the characterization of Laertes, the idea of

honor, and the symbolism of the serpent and Ophelia’s flowers demonstrates the beneficial and

harmful effects of one’s selfishness. Although selfishness allows one to redeem honor,

destructive consequences, such as disregarding people's feelings and causing emotional or

physical harm, encourage greed, hate, and delusion. As individuals evaluate a certain situation,

they will use their limited knowledge, personal experiences, and strong emotions to make rash
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decisions instead of thinking logically and seeking other perspectives; thus, selfishness prevents

one’s self-awareness by allowing individuals to carry out actions that would benefit themselves

while hurting the people around them. Obtaining knowledge from different perspectives enables

self-awareness and empathy, which in turn allows one to make decisions that would benefit both

themself and others around them.

The characterization of Laertes demonstrates his values of purity, family honor, and the

Church with the principle of loyalty; Laertes also shows selfishness as he attempts to restore his

honor through revenge. Laertes prepares for his journey to France after King Claudius and his

father Polonius grant him permission. Before his departure, he warns his sister Ophelia to be

careful around Hamlet in order to protect her and her family’s honor:

Perhaps he loves you now,

And now no soil nor cautel doth besmirch

The virtue of his will; but you must fear,

His greatness weighed, his will is not his own,

For he himself is subject to his birth.

He may not, as unvalued persons do,

Carve for himself, for on his choice depends

The safety and the health of this whole state. (1.3.17—24)

Laertes tells Ophelia, “Perhaps he loves you now,” to indicate that Ophelia and Hamlet’s

relationship may be temporary, as suggested by the use of “now.” “Now” means “at the present

time” according to Merriam Webster. “Now” also has a connotation meaning of fleeting, or brief;

therefore Laertes warns Ophelia to become cautious of Hamlet and to not let love blind her, as

suggested by “...you must fear...” The use of “fear” demonstrates Laertes’s value of purity as he
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advises Ophelia to protect her virtue in order to maintain abstinence; Laertes believes that

Hamlet does not love Ophelia since he says “his will is not his own.” He knows that Hamlet will

prioritize Denmark over Ophelia due to Hamlet’s family honor and social status as the prince, as

shown by “his will” and “birth.” Hamlet’s “will” as the Prince of Denmark consists of protecting

the state and its civilians. Due to these circumstances, Laertes fears that Hamlet will break

Ophelia’s heart; Laertes also believes that Hamlet will take advantage of Ophelia, indicating

Hamlet’s selfishness when it comes to love and selfless when it comes to Denmark, as shown by

“his choice depends… of this whole state.” By protecting herself from Hamlet, Ophelia will not

bring shame to the family name. With a higher social status and “greatness,” Hamlet possesses

the power to embarrass Ophelia and her family’s reputation. Laertes compares Hamlet to

“unvalued persons”; he shows how Hamlet is not an “unvalued” person due to his social status.

“Unvalued” has a degrading and shameful connotation with a denotation of “not important or

prized” (“Unvalued”). “...unvalued persons” refer to normal civilians and those who are not a

part of the royal family. With the usage of “unvalued,” Laertes demonstrates his value for the

Church’s religious ideologies as he puts Hamlet upon a pedestal due to his title as the prince; it

can be inferred that he believes in the Divine Right of Kings, which was a political doctrine that

stated how God granted kings the power to serve (“Divine Right of Kings”). As Laertes gives

Ophelia advice, he demonstrates a principle of loyalty, which allows him to protect the family

name. By demonstrating loyalty to the family name, Laertes shows care for Ophelia by

protecting her from Hamlet; however, his judgment in Hamlet proves his selfishness and a lack

of self-awareness since he does not know Hamlet well enough to make assumptions. Laertes also

does not want his reputation to be ruined by Ophelia’s relationship with Hamlet; therefore, he

ends up hurting Ophelia’s feelings. Instead of making assumptions, individuals should try to
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understand one another. Along with purity and the Church, Laertes also values family honor and

he continues to demonstrate his principle of loyalty. Once Laertes returns to Denmark, he

discovers that Hamlet murdered Polonius. He also finds out that Ophelia became mentally

unstable due to the death of Polonius and Hamlet’s rejection. Laertes visits King Claudius at the

castle and they come up with a plan to kill Hamlet:

And so have I a noble father lost,

A sister driven into desp’rate terms,

Whose worth, if praises may go back again,

Stood challenger on mount of all the age

For her perfections. But my revenge will come. (4.7.27—31)

The denotation of “noble” is “having, showing, or coming from personal qualities that people

admire (such as honesty, generosity, courage, etc.)” (“Noble”). The use of “noble” shows that

Laertes respects Polonius, which evokes admiration. In addition, Laertes uses “perfections” when

he is referring to Ophelia, which evokes fondness and protectiveness; he claims that before

Ophelia went into madness, she was a perfect woman, as suggested by “if praises may go back

again.” His compliments to both his father and sister reveals his value of family honor due to his

choice of adjectives, such as “noble” and “perfections,” to describe them; these words evoke

feelings of admiration. “Revenge” also demonstrates Laertes’s continuous value for honor since

he hopes to kill Hamlet for murdering Polonius and breaking Ophelia’s heart. “Will come” shows

how Laertes feels confident in carrying out his revenge; therefore, he believes that achieving

revenge honors the family name. The situation reveals Laertes’s principle of loyalty towards

Polonius and Ophelia as stated by “noble father” and “a sister.” However, Laertes’s urge to kill

Hamlet, as suggested by “will come,” also demonstrates selfishness as he acts rashly by agreeing
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to Claudius’s plan, which would benefit him and his reputation. Laertes’s desire for revenge

shows how selfishness helps one cope and grieve through the loss of loved ones by restoring

one’s definition of honor; however, deteriorating consequences, such as leading one to their

downfall or death, may arise along the way. During the duel, Laertes stabs Hamlet with a

poisoned sword; however, Hamlet manages to turn the blade around to stab Laertes. With the

plan backfiring on Laertes, he blames Claudius and asks Hamlet for forgiveness. Laertes tells

Hamlet:

He is justly served.

It is a poison tempered by himself.

Exchange forgiveness with me, noble Hamlet.

Mine and my father’s death come not upon thee,

Nor thine on me. ⟨ Dies.⟩ (5.2.359—63)

After Hamlet kills Claudius, Laertes admits that Claudius was responsible for planning the death

of Hamlet, as suggested by “tempered by himself.” According to Merriam Webster, “tempered”

means “to bring to a suitable state by mixing in or adding a usually liquid ingredient”; therefore,

Laertes blames Claudius for killing Gertrude and creating the plan to kill Hamlet in order to

protect himself. Laertes wishes to repent to go to heaven; therefore, he confesses to Hamlet and

asks Hamlet to “exchange forgiveness” with him. Laertes asking for forgiveness reveals his

value of the Church and purity since repenting will allow him to go to heaven after his death.

The literal translation of “Nor thine on me” means that Laertes will also not be responsible for

Hamlet’s death as they exchange forgiveness. Laertes demonstrates selfishness by placing the

blame on Claudius and apologizing to Hamlet once the plan has gone wrong; by doing this, he

protects himself from going to Hell instead of truly acknowledging his wrongdoings. The
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characterization of Laertes reveals his value for purity, family honor, and the Church;

furthermore, he has the principle of loyalty. Laertes displays forms of selfishness as he shows

immediate interest in following Claudius’s plan of killing Hamlet; he is not aware of how his

revenge will soon later lead him to his own death. The characterization of Laertes connects to the

theme by showing the pros and cons of one’s selfishness. Laertes’s selfishness brought harm to

himself as Hamlet stabbed him with a poisoned sword; his urgency to get revenge encouraged

him to ally with Claudius and his treacherous plan. Selfishness can make one less self-aware

about the consequences of their own actions. It can blind them from harming themselves and the

people around them. Instead, individuals should try to think logically through their actions

instead of depending on their strong emotions, such as hatred, to control their choices.

Hamlet also explores the big idea of honor, which encourages individuals to carry out

actions that will benefit themselves. Honor is shown as one’s reputation, or respect towards

something. Each character’s definition of honor varies within the play, which affects how they

carry out their actions. Both Hamlet and Laertes wish to bring honor to their family name;

therefore, they prioritize family honor. In Laertes’s perspective, he must kill Hamlet in order to

bring honor to his family and himself. Laertes takes immediate action whereas Hamlet hesitates

to kill Claudius; since Claudius is the king and his uncle, Hamlet becomes conflicted with killing

Claudius. After encountering the ghost of King Hamlet, the ghost advises Hamlet to kill King

Claudius in order to get revenge. As a response, Hamlet says:

I’ll wipe away all trivial, fond records,

All saws of books, all forms, all pressures past,

That youth and observation copied there,

And thy commandment all alone shall live

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Within the book and volume of my brain,

Unmixed with baser matter. Yes, by heaven!

O most pernicious woman!

O villain, villain, smiling, damnèd villain! (1.5.106—13)

Hamlet uses “trivial” and “fond” to describe everything that he has learned, such as his morals,

memories, etc. The denotation of “trivial” is “of little worth or importance” and the denotation of

“fond” is “cherished with great affection” according to Merriam Webster. “I’ll wipe away all

trivial, fond records” implies that Hamlet prioritizes family honor since he was willing to go

against his morals, or “records,” in order to seek revenge for his father; thus, he believes that

demonstrating selflessness would bring honor to his father. “I’ll wipe away…” also reveals

Hamlet’s lack of self-awareness as he wishes to kill Claudius without using his morals and logic

to guide him; instead, he uses his hate to fuel his actions. Moreover, “...thy commandment all

alone shall live” reveals Hamlet’s goal to fulfill the ghost’s wish. “Commandment” has a strong,

forceful connotation with a denotation of “a command or mandate” according to Dictionary.com.

“Commandment” implies that Hamlet believes that he has no other choice but to kill Claudius. In

addition, “commandment” reveals that Hamlet must restore honor through revenge; if he

neglects the ghost’s order then he will show disloyalty towards his father. Hamlet also calls his

mother Gertrude a “...pernicious woman” and King Claudius a “damnèd villain.” “Pernicious”

and “damned” both have a shameful and wicked connotation; therefore, the insults to Gertrude

and Claudius imply that Hamlet believes that they have embarrassed the family name. After the

encounter with the ghost, Hamlet’s main objective became revenge; this shows how Hamlet

believes that revenge can assist one bring honor. Just like Laertes, Hamlet uses revenge and

honor as a way to cope with his father’s death. Subsequently, Hamlet hesitates to kill Claudius
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when he sees Claudius pretending to pray. Hamlet draws his sword to kill Claudius, but he stops

at the last minute to prevent sending Claudius to heaven. Hamlet says:

Now might I do it pat, now he is a-praying,

And now I’ll do ’t. ⌜He draws his sword. ⌝

And so he goes to heaven,

And so am I revenged. That would be scanned:

A villain kills my father, and for that,

I, his sole son, do this same villain send

To heaven.

Why, this is hire and salary, not revenge. (3.3.77—84)

“...now he is a-praying, / And now I’ll do ‘t” shows Hamlet’s honor to the Church. The

hesitation, “And now I’ll do ‘t,” demonstrates the struggle between prioritizing family honor and

honor towards the Church and its ideologies. Hamlet’s honor to the Church overrides his

determination to redeem honor to his father as suggested by “...he goes to heaven” “...hire and

salary, not revenge.” “...he goes to heaven” and “...not revenge” suggests that Hamlet’s honor to

the Church plays a huge role in influencing his actions since he believes that killing Claudius

during prayer would send Claudius to heaven. Hamlet believes that sending Claudius to heaven

benefits Claudius instead of himself. The play points out how Hamlet honors the Church more

due to the belief of one going to Hell and Heaven based on their actions; therefore, Hamlet’s

honor to religion remains more important than his honor to his father. Hamlet’s hesitation shows

how he has a sense of self-awareness when it comes to sending Claudius to Hell; however, he

does not use it to stop himself from committing murder, which he will get punished for based on

Christian ideologies. Similarly, Laertes also wishes to avenge Polonius; therefore, he plans on
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killing Hamlet during their battle. Before the battle, Hamlet apologizes to Laertes and he asks for

forgiveness. However, Laertes rejects Hamlet’s apology:

I am satisfied in nature,

Whose motive in this case should stir me most

To my revenge; but in my terms of honor

I stand aloof and will no reconcilement

Till by some elder masters of known honor

I have a voice and precedent of peace

To keep my name ungored. But till that time

I do receive your offered love like love (5.2.259—66)

As a response to Hamlet’s apology, Laertes says “I am satisfied in nature.” “Satisfied” has a

pleasing connotation and a denotation of “pleased or content with what has been experienced or

received” according to Merriam Webster. Laertes acknowledges Hamlet’s apology; however,

Laertes’s satisfaction does not override his desire to restore the honor to his family name. “...but

in my terms of honor” reveals how Laertes approaches his honor; he believes that honor is

valuable and difficult to restore if lost, as suggested by “aloof.” “Aloof” has a denotative

meaning of “not involved in or influenced by something” according to Merriam Webster;

therefore, the apology did not change Laertes’s mind about killing Hamlet. Laertes believes that

his honor cannot be resolved by a simple apology, as shown by “I stand aloof”; “I stand aloof”

also reveals Laertes’s selfishness since he still wants to seek revenge. In addition, Laertes does

not want to restore his friendship with Hamlet, as suggested by “no reconcilement.” According to

Merriam Webster, the meaning of “reconcilement” is “to restore to friendship or harmony.”

Laertes believes that becoming friends with the person who murdered his father will continue to
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ruin his reputation; therefore, he says “Till by some elder masters of known honor.” “Masters of

known honor” means someone who is extremely educated on the topic of honor, suggesting that

Laertes will not forgive Hamlet until elders who are knowledgeable in honor persuades him to do

so. “I do receive your…” shows that Laertes has acknowledged Hamlet’s apology. Since Laertes

has not avenged Polonius, he believes that he is incapable of restoring honor to his family name;

therefore, he continues to carry out his plan to poison Hamlet with his sword during the battle.

Honor can enhance selfish actions, such as seeking revenge to obtain satisfaction. The

determination to bring honor allowed Hamlet and Laertes to find a way to cope with the deaths

of their fathers; however, it encouraged reckless decisions as they disregarded the people around

them and the consequences of their actions. Both Hamlet and Laertes lost their father; however,

the murder of Hamlet’s father was done on purpose while Polonius’s death was done on accident.

As the Prince of Denmark, Hamlet has more privileges than a normal civilian since it is easier for

him to escape his punishment in order to not ruin the reputation of the royal family. Therefore,

Laertes views honor as something that can break down social hierarchy and status. He wants to

fight the injustices of the social hierarchy while staying loyal to his family name. Hamlet, on the

other hand, views honor as a way to grieve and cope with his father’s death. The desire to bring

honor led Hamlet and Laertes to their deaths. Their selfishness prevented them from

acknowledging the consequences of seeking revenge; therefore, selfishness should be avoided in

order to allow individuals to think logically through their actions. With self-awareness, one will

be able to carry out actions that would benefit them and the people around them.

The symbolism of the serpent and Ophelia’s flowers present the harmful effects of one’s

selfishness. The first symbol present is the serpent, which the ghost mentions when he talks to
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Hamlet. As Hamlet talks to the ghost of his father, the ghost tells Hamlet that King Claudius

murdered him by spilling poison into his ear:

Now, Hamlet, hear.

’Tis given out that, sleeping in my orchard,

A serpent stung me. So the whole ear of Denmark

Is by a forgèd process of my death

Rankly abused. But know, thou noble youth,

The serpent that did sting thy father’s life

Now wears his crown. (1.5.41—47)

The ghost addresses King Claudius as a “serpent,” which is “a noxious creature that creeps,

hisses, or stings” or “a treacherous person” (“Serpent”). According to A Dictionary of Literary

Symbols by Michael Ferber, serpents are sly and dangerous creatures; they can also “strike

without warning” (Ferber 186). “Serpent” has a dangerous and threatening connotation due to its

association with sneakiness and the devil. The comparison between King Claudius and a serpent

shows Claudius’s ability to kill King Hamlet secretly, as suggested by “A serpent stung me.”

“Stung” has a denotation of “to prick painfully: such as to pierce or wound with a poisonous or

irritating process” according to Merriam Webster. The use of stung reveals that Claudius, or the

“serpent,” is sly and dangerous since he betrayed his brother by poisoning him and then

becoming King of Denmark, as suggested by “now wears his crown.” “Crown” refers to royalty

and Claudius becoming the King of Denmark. Therefore, the serpent represents betrayal, as

suggested by “...serpent that did sting thy father’s life.” The significance of the serpent shows the

consequences of Claudius’s betrayal as the ghost tells Hamlet to get revenge. Claudius’s
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selfishness destroyed his relationship with Hamlet. In addition, the ghost continues to use the

symbolism of the serpent to address how Claudius murdered him:

Upon my secure hour thy uncle stole

With juice of cursèd hebona in a vial

And in the porches of my ears did pour

The leprous distilment, (1.5. 68—71)

After addressing Claudius as the “serpent,” “...thy uncle stole” verifies the identity of who the

ghost was referring to as a “serpent.” Serpents can also be referred to as snakes; thus, they are

snakes with poisonous venom that could harm an individual. A “hebona” is a “plant having a

poisonous juice” according to Merriam Webster. The beautiful yet poisonous hebona can be

compared to Claudius as he can be seen as a trustworthy King by the state of Denmark; however,

he is a sly and treacherous king who murdered his brother due to his greediness, as shown by

“thy uncle stole.” The hebona may look like an ordinary flower, but its toxic poison can lead to

death if consumed. Claudius’s greed and selfishness harmed the people around him, such as his

brother and Hamlet. After hearing the news of Polonius’s death, Laertes confronts King Claudius

and Queen Gertrude at the castle. Upon his visit, Laertes notices that Ophelia has gone mad as

she sings and passes out invisible flowers for the people at the court:

There’s fennel for you, and columbines.

There’s rue for you, and here’s some for me; we

may call it herb of grace o’ Sundays. You must wear

your rue with a difference. There’s a daisy. I would

give you some violets, but they withered all when

my father died. They say he made a good end. (4.5.204—09)

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It can be inferred that Ophelia offers the flowers to Claudius and Gertrude since they were

present during the scene. Ophelia first offers a “fennel,” which is a plant with a short lifespan

(“Fennel, Foeniculum vulgare”). The fennels can act as a sign of foreshadowing the deaths of

Claudius and Gertrude due to its short lifespan. Fennels also represent strength and flattery,

showing Ophelia’s loyalty to Denmark as she offers the fennels for Claudius (Whetstone).

“Columbines”, on the other hand, usually represent adultery and foolishness according to

“Ophelia’s Flowers and Their Symbolic Meaning”; Ophelia knows that Claudius married his

brother’s wife. She goes on to offer “Rue” means “regret, sorrow”; however, as a flower, it is “ a

European strong-scented perennial woody herb (Ruta graveolens of the family Rutaceae, the rue

family) that has bitter leaves used medicinally” according to Merriam Webster. Ophelia uses

“rue” to describe herself when she says “...here’s some for me,” indicating that the loss of her

father and her relationship with Hamlet has led her to extreme sorrow. The “rue” flower has been

used to represent suffering since the overconsumption of rue can lead to vomiting and death

(“Rue (Ruta Graveolens)”). In addition, rue can also represent repentance since Christian

churches used it to put into holy water; therefore, it earned the name as the “herb of grace”

(Dwyer 6). Along with experiencing sorrow, Ophelia’s use of “rue” also indicates that she wishes

to repent for betraying Hamlet by spying on him. The “daisy” is mentioned; however, Ophelia

does not elaborate much on it. Daisies usually represent innocence and purity; thus, Ophelia does

not offer daisies to herself or anyone else in the room to show the lack of innocence, as shown by

the quick change in topic after mentioning “There’s a daisy.” Ophelia quickly moves on to talk

about “violets.” Violets represent suffering and loss, as suggested by “withered”; Ophelia claims

that the violets have died due to Polonius’s death, indicating that the death of her father has

heavily influenced her sadness. Violets are also “associated with death” since it was one of the
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herbs used for fertility regulation, or abortion during the Elizabethan era (Dwyer 6). Thus,

Ophelia’s use of flowers represents the lost innocence since the flowers mentioned are associated

with sorrow; furthermore, some were used as a fertility regulation. Due to Hamlet’s selfishness,

he caused harm to Ophelia, such as influencing her to go mad. Without any regard to Ophelia,

Hamlet accidentally killed her father and broke her heart; he did not think about considering her

feelings afterward, causing her to give a “rue” to herself. The symbolism of the serpent and

Ophelia’s flowers demonstrates how one’s selfishness can harm the people around them, such as

Claudius betraying his brother and Hamlet contributing to Ophelia’s madness by rejecting her

feelings and murdering her father.

Hamlet unveils how selfishness can have both beneficial and harmful effects. The

characterization of Laertes shows his values of purity, family honor, and the Church with the

principle of loyalty; his values and principle enhance his selfishness as he puts him and his

family first. Laertes does whatever he can to maintain his reputation and restore honor to his

family name. Along with characterization, the big idea of honor can be shown to encourage

revenge; therefore, individuals put themselves first to benefit themselves. They may not consider

each other’s feelings, as shown through Hamlet as he disregards Ophelia’s feelings and

accidentally kills Polonius. In addition, Laertes’s selfishness blinded him from examining the

consequences of allying with Claudius, which eventually led him to his death. Lastly, the

symbolism of the serpent and Ophelia’s flowers show the effects of one’s greed, such as

Claudius’ greed to become king and Hamlet’s greed for revenge. Through Claudius’s greed,

Hamlet and Laertes’s hatred towards the people who killed their father, and Hamlet’s delusion,

Hamlet shows how these strong emotions can lead to tragedy and defy the mind as Buddha

claimed.
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Mental Illness in Shakespeare’s Hamlet

In The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark by William Shakespeare, Shakespeare

brings up the social issue of the stigma around mental illness, such as discriminatory attitudes

against those with mental illness. Mental illness is defined as certain health conditions that affect

one’s thinking, emotions, and behaviors (“What Is Mental Illness?”). Shakespeare presents

mental illness through Hamlet’s soliloquy about contemplating suicide and Ophelia’s madness

after the death of Polonius and Hamlet’s rejection. In Scene 1 of Act 3, Hamlet states, “To be or

not to be—that is the question” (3.1.64). Hamlet questions his will to live while thinking about

suicide to end his internalized pain; however, his fear of going to Hell overrode his debate to do

so. Whereas Ophelia’s deteriorating mental health led her to her death. Through Hamlet and

Ophelia, Shakespeare shows the detrimental effects of mental illness and how it can affect one’s

behavior and emotions. Shakespeare challenges the Elizabethan era’s view on mental illness by

showing how certain circumstances can destroy one’s mental health; his portrayal of mental

illness allows the audience to feel sympathy for the characters as they experience tragedy.

Shakespeare’s Hamlet holds relevance in the 21st century as society progressed towards

understanding and accepting those with mental illness.

The Elizabethan era started from 1558 to 1603, which was also the period of Queen

Elizabeth I’s reign in England. The Elizabethan era was considered the golden age of English

history and the English Renaissance due to the increase in English literature, poetry, and plays

(“Elizabethan age”). Despite the cultural and artistic progression within society during the

Elizabethan era, mental illness was heavily looked down upon due to the lack of research and

general knowledge on the topic. Within the Elizabethan culture, mental illness was highly

associated with witchcraft and the supernatural. In “Documents in Madness…” by Carol Thomas
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Neely, Neely uses texts published during the Elizabethan era to establish historical context on

witchcraft prosecutions as well as the hysteria and melancholy associated with witches; this

showed why major English literature, such as Hamlet, focused on the insincere portrayal of

madness and actual madness. According to Carol Thomas Neely, a Professor of English at the

University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, “In these areas—bewitchment, possession,

witchcraft—madness is becoming a psychological alternative to conditions formally defined as

supernatural in origin and treatment” (Neely 321). During the Elizabethan era, people with

strange behaviors were framed as witches that possessed supernatural powers; therefore, they

were put on trial and prosecuted. The association between “madness” and “witchcraft” enabled

an unfavorable perception of mental illness, where individuals degraded and criminalized those

with mental illness; therefore, many people feared individuals who were considered “mad.”

Shakespeare, however, challenged the Renaissance view on mental illness by showing how

trauma and grief can influence people’s mental health. Shakespeare demonstrates the progression

in Ophelia’s madness after grieving over her father’s death and Hamlet’s rejection; these

traumatic events affected her mental health by driving her to madness, leading to her committing

suicide. Elizabethans believed that if someone died of suicide, they would go to hell. In “Hamlet

on the Couch…” by W.F. Bynum and Michael Neve, the authors discuss the psychoanalysis of

Hamlet done by psychiatrists and psychologists; many experts believed that Hamlet was sincere

about his madness, or mental illness, throughout the play. According to W. F. Bynum, a Professor

of History of Medicine at University College London, and Michael Neve, a lecturer for the

History of Medicine at University College Long (Bynum and Neve 390), “In Shakespeare’s day,

suicide was a crime, and unless the person who took his own life could be proved to have been

mentally deranged, he died a felon and his property was forfeited to the state. Christianity as
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interpreted by sixteenth- and seventeenth-century churchmen was firm in its prohibition of

suicide…” (Bynum and Neve 393). The established context of the criminalization of suicide

during Shakespeare’s day further supports the idea of Hamlet having a mental illness; they

believe that those who were mentally stable would not consider suicide since one could die as a

“felon” and lose property to the state as well as go to Hell, according to Christian ideologies.

Shakespeare portrays suicide through Ophelia. Ophelia’s suicide prohibited her from having a

proper Christian burial, showing how suicide and Christian ideologies were intertwined during

the Elizabethan era. Whereas for Hamlet, he becomes depressed due to the death of his father,

which influenced him to have suicidal thoughts. Similarly, suicide is still considered a crime in

many countries during the 21st century; however, western countries, such as the United States

have decriminalized suicide (“Suicide”). Unlike the Elizabethan era, the belief that one will go to

Hell after committing suicide has lost its popularity within the 21st century. In addition, society

tends to be more understanding of individuals with mental illness in today’s world; however, the

stigma around mental health still exists. In “The Stigma of Mental Illness…” by Marie A. Yeh,

the author explains how the research was conducted to examine the different components that

induce stigma and then compare the results to segment the general population; this will help

policy and advocacy groups improve their social marketing campaigns. “The most consistently

studied belief in mental illness stigma is the conceptualization of people with mental illness as

dangerous [...] As first articulated by Star[...], stigmatizers believe that people with mental illness

are more violent, and thus more dangerous, than people without mental illness” (Yeh et al 99).

Compared to the Elizabethan era, the stigma around those with mental illness in the 21st century

shares similarity due to depicting those with mental illness as dangerous and violent. Instead of

associating mental illness with witchcraft, it is associated with criminal activity; people
 Nguyen 18

stereotype the mentally ill as criminals with no remorse. The stigma still exists despite the

increase in knowledge and research on mental illness. However, more resources are available,

such as therapy and prescription drugs, to help individuals struggling with mental illness in the

present day.

In comparison to Elizabethan culture, society during the 21st century tends to be more

understanding in educating themselves on the topic of mental health; furthermore, individuals

encourage mental health awareness as well as the accessibility to resources available. Hamlet

shows how the perception of mental illness has improved as humans try to be more empathetic

and open to understanding others; therefore, Hamlet shows relevance in today’s world as

individuals continue to expand their knowledge on mental illness. Hamlet shows the depth of

mental illness and its effects on an individual's thinking and behavior. Shakespeare did not

associate mental illness with witchcraft, but instead, he challenged the Elizabethan era’s view on

mental illness by showing how trauma, grief, heartbreak, and the loss of loved ones can worsen

one’s mental health. With more research done on mental illness and resources, such as hotlines,

medication and therapy, society is one step forward towards reducing the stigma around mental

health.
 Nguyen 19

Works Cited

“Aloof.” Merriam Webster, www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/aloof. Accessed 1 Feb.

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Bodhi, Bhikkhu, and Ñāṇamoli, Bhikkhu. The Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha: A

Translation of the Majjhima Nikaya. Wisdom Publications, 1995.

“Commandment.” Dictionary.com, www.dictionary.com/browse/commandment. Accessed 5

Feb. 2022.

“Divine Right of Kings.” Britannica, www.britannica.com/topic/divine-right-of-kings. Accessed

6 Mar. 2022.

Dwyer, John. “Garden Plants and Wildflowers in Hamlet.” Australian Garden History, vol. 24,

no. 2, Australian Garden History Society Inc., 2012, pp. 5–34,

https://www.jstor.org/stable/24918848. Accessed 18 Feb. 2022

“Fennel, Foeniculum vulgare.” Wisconsin Horticulture,

hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/fennel-foeniculum-vulgare/. Accessed 13 Feb. 2022.

Ferber, Michael. A Dictionary of Literary Symbols. Cambridge University Press, 12 Feb. 2001.

“Hebona.” Merriam Webster,

www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hebona#:~:text=Definition%20of%20hebona,hebo

na%20in%20a%20vial%E2%80%94%20Shakespeare. Accessed 5 Feb. 2022.

Hurst, W.Jeffrey. “Rue (Ruta Graveolens).” Medicina Antiqua,

www.ucl.ac.uk/~ucgajpd/medicina%20antiqua/sa_rue.html. Accessed 13 February 2022.

“Knavish.” Merriam Webster, www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/knavish. Accessed 30

Jan. 2022.

“Noble.” Merriam Webster, www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/noble. Accessed 31 Jan.

 Nguyen 20

2022.

“Now.” Merriam Webster, www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/now. Accessed 30 Jan.

2022.

“Ophelia’s Flowers and Their Symbolic Meaning.”

htsdc.org/wp-content/uploads/Ophelias-Flowers.pdf. Accessed 13 February 2022.

“Reconcilement.” Merriam Webster, www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reconcilement.

Accessed 1 Feb. 2022.

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Jan. 2022.

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 Nguyen 21

Annotated Bibliography

Bynum, W. F., and Michael Neve. “Hamlet on the Couch: Hamlet Is a Kind of Touchstone by

Which to Measure Changing Opinion—Psychiatric and Otherwise—about Madness.”

American Scientist, vol. 74, no. 4, Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Society, 1986, pp.

390–96, http://www.jstor.org/stable/27854253. Accessed 16 Feb. 2022

The article focuses on psychiatrists’ view on the portrayal of madness within The

Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark by William Shakespeare. The article also shares

the psychoanalysis and potential diagnosis of Hamlet’s mental illness by psychiatrists and

psychologists. A quote from this article will be used to show how suicide was viewed

during the Elizabethan era. I will compare this quote to show how suicide is still

criminalized in the 21st century; however, some western countries have managed to

decriminalized it.

“Elizabethan age.” New World Encyclopedia,

www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Elizabethan_age. Accessed 8 Mar. 2022.

The website article provides information about the Elizabethan age and what is it known

for. It also provides information on the Elizabethan culture, such as the rise in English

literature and arts as well as special holidays. The source will be used to establish context

on the Elizabethan era at the beginning of my body paragraph.

Neely, Carol Thomas. “‘Documents in Madness’: Reading Madness and Gender in

Shakespeare’s Tragedies and Early Modern Culture.” Shakespeare Quarterly, vol. 42, no.

3, [Folger Shakespeare Library, The Shakespeare Association of America, Inc., Johns

Hopkins University Press, George Washington University], 1991, p. 321,

doi.org/10.2307/2870846. Accessed 16 Feb. 2022.

 Nguyen 22

The article shows how “madness” is portrayed within Shakespeare’s writing and early

modern culture. The article also compares the difference in the gender portrayal of

madness, such as analyzing Ophelia’s madness to Hamlet’s madness. The article will be

used to show the association between witchcraft and mental illness during the

Elizabethan era.

“Suicide.” Legal Information Instittue, www.law.cornell.edu/wex/suicide. Accessed 27 Feb.

2022.

The article provides information about how suicide has been decriminalized in the United

States. It will be used to show how the legal status of suicide has changed in the United

States in today’s world.

“What Is Mental Illness?” American Psychiatric Association,

www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/what-is-mental-illness#:~:text=Mental%20illnesses

%20are%20health%20conditions,Mental%20illness%20is%20common. Accessed 24

Feb. 2022.

The article defines mental illness and provides statistics about how many Americans

struggle with mental illness in the United States. I will use this to help me define mental

illness in the introduction paragraph.

Yeh, Marie A., et al. “The Stigma of Mental Illness: Using Segmentation for Social Change.”

Journal of Public Policy & Marketing, vol. 36, no. 1, Sage Publications, Inc., 2017, p. 99,

www.jstor.org/stable/44878401. Accessed 23 Feb. 2022.

The article discusses the stigma surrounding mental illness. The purpose of this article is

to show how the research was conducted in order to examine the different components
 Nguyen 23

that induce stigma and then compare the results to segment the general population; this

will help policy and advocacy groups improve their social marketing campaigns.

It will be used to show the stigma around mental illness in today’s world in comparison to

the Elizabethan era.