Hamlet And Melancholy Essay, Research Paper

In the play Hamlet, written by William Shakespeare, Hamlet is greatly affected

in his thoughts and his actions by his ever changing state of melancholy.

Melancholia is a medical term categorized by extreme depression, apathy, and

withdrawal. Hamlet gives in to this illness and throughout the play he shows

several characteristics of it. Hamlet being so self-centered steers him away

from performing the vigorous duties he has been chosen to do by the ghost of his

father and also himself. Hamlet develops a wariness of family and companions

that keeps him from incriminating himself and destroying his plans for revenge.

In the end, it is Hamlet?s perseverance and determination that keeps him

focused on his plan and gives him a relentlessness with which he pursues his

goal. The conduct of Hamlet causes him to become the exact definition of

melancholy, as defined by the medical field over the years. The time in which

Shakespeare lived and wrote this play was a time where the medical profession

was just beginning. The people depended on ancient theories and practices that

are no longer used in the medical field today. It was believed that black bile

was a fluid found in the body. Any person with an excess amount of blood or

fluids was believed to be in the state of melancholy. Hamlet was viewed as being

composed of too much black bile which placed him as melancholic. Skepticism, a

stubborn outlook and attitude about life, self absorption, and excessive gloomy

response to recent events are all symptoms of melancholy. All of these symptoms

apply to Hamlet during the course of the play. It is the fulfillment of these

symptoms that proves Hamlet is in fact melancholic. Hamlet?s constant thoughts

and feelings about himself come from his state of melancholy. His continuos

introspection as to how he is thinking, behaving, and feeling at any given time

keep him from acting swiftly on the commands given to him by the ghost of his

father. During all this time Hamlet still shows occasional signs of intelligence

as he should. Hamlet is after all, an educated man. He refuses to perform his

given duty without first questioning each area of the task at hand. He ponders

the consequences of the task then he questions his very own position on the

issue. Because of this, his ?thinking too precisely on th? event? (IV, iv,

41) has taken so long that he misses the opportunity to complete his

responsibility. Hamlet is led to even more contemplation before he is able to

move on to the secondary plan of action resulting from the failure of the first.

You can see that Hamlet is able to recognize his pattern of behavior when he

says, ?I do not know why yet I live to say ?This thing?s to do:? sith I

have cause and will and strength and means to do ?t? (IV, iv, 43-6). By

seeing the source of his inability to act, Hamlet is now capable of correcting

it. Now Hamlet gives in to his passions rather than debating them, which in turn

brings more positive actions than lengthy excuses for his failure to act.

Hamlet?s melancholy is also displayed by his overwhelming emotion for any mood

he is currently in. Biggest of all is the death of his father, after which he

sinks into a great depression that traps his mind and spirit for the rest of the

play. It is more complicated than a simple state of mourning. Hamlet has become

obsessive about preserving the memory and integrity of the former king. Hamlet

is the last person in the kingdom to continue mourning for his father, and shows

his sadness by dressing only in ?nighted color? (I, ii, 68). While his

mother sees his choice of clothing as showing his complete emotion, Hamlet tells

her that it ?does not denote me truly? (I, ii, 83). His real emotions are

much stronger than the simple decision of what to wear. The players come to put

on a play and Hamlet focuses all of his time and energy on the performance. He

wants to achieve his goal of catching ?the conscience of the king? (II, ii,

548). Hamlet has once again forgotten everything he was concerned with and is

now only interested in one small part of his life. Hamlet?s behavior shows

that he is wrapped up in the mood or feeling he is currently in, whether it be

depressed or happiness. Hamlet?s suspicion?s for the motives of the actions

of those around him are due to his melancholic nature. He does not like to be

taken advantage of and he would like for everyone to be honest with him as he

is, with them. Hamlet?s friends have been sent for by the king and queen to

find the reason behind his current state of mind. When Hamlet says, ?Were you

not sent for? Is it tour own inclining? Is it free visitation? Come, come, deal

justly with me,? (II,ii, 256-8) he is demanding an answer from his friends as

to their unexplained arrival. From the time the ghost originally speaks to

Hamlet to the final act of the play, Hamlet is a man obsessed with a sense of

obligation. Nothing can side track him from what he knows he must do to avenge

his father. Hamlet, the protagonist in the play, suffers from melancholia, to

which most of his actions can be credited to. Hamlet?s constant challenging of

himself and his actions makes him unable to act on his desires consistently

during the play. Hamlet then becomes deeply absorbed in different emotions and

moods that are currently affecting him, such as the rage of his father?s death

followed by the happy occasion of the players? visit to the castle. Hamlet

will not permit his plans to be changed or delayed, except by himself, in order

to remain in control of his own fate. As you can see, each of his decisions and

actions was determined and, partially, predicted by his melancholic nature.