Hamlet’s Melancholy

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prevent him from acting before certainly should not now. The conclusion is inevitably that Hamlet is in a state of melancholy because of what has just happened. His healthy motives combined with the overwhelming feelings of melancholic aversion and lethargy create a seemingly unattainable mode of action. The new-found state of melancholy he has been thrown into also accounts for Hamlet’s new-found energy and impulsiveness. Having always been a well-rounded and educated thinker, his decisions were well thought out and carefully planned. Now that Hamlet is in such a state of confusion and wants for guidance, his actions are impulsive and energetic, reflective of how anyone might act upon having their lives hurled into a chaotic abyss (Belsey 128). The ferocious manner in which Hamlet inserts himself into the much expounding drama of his household most certainly would consume a great deal of his energy, leaving him utterly exhausted mentally and at a loss for answers or direction—when ...

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also accounts for his flaws—the most raw elements of his character that are seen in the play. He is self-absorbed and has a strong degree of aggression and impatience with those whom he loathes, and even occasionally with those he loves. These characteristics are classic symptoms of melancholy and Hamlet certainly displays them frequently and with fervor. In addition to the melancholic symptoms being present, Hamlet’s personality and mannerisms change, quite inexplicably, to outbursts of frenzied and futile emotion. An example of these would be when Hamlet converses with the ghost and refers to himself as being “lapsed in passion (Bradley 124)”. His thoughts are quite wild and ...

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