Throughout literature, authors have developed characters with varying mental states. In the play Hamlet by William Shakespeare, the main character, Prince Hamlet, is depicted a young man on the brink of insanity. Whether or not Hamlet is truly mad is a mystery, but there are numerous instances supporting and disputing his madness.
Throughout the play, many characters find themselves questioning the sanity of Prince Hamlet. Ever since the death of his father, Hamlet has become increasingly melancholic. Still dressed in black clothes, Hamlet has not yet ceased mourning his late father. In the height of his grief, his mother decides to marry the new King, Claudius. This propels Hamlet even further into depression, which may have been the catalyst to his mental breakdown. …