Shakespeare Today: Hamlet - Theme of Madness

The video explores the theme of madness in Shakespeare's Hamlet, focusing on whether Hamlet's madness is real or feigned. It discusses how this ambiguity affects the interpretation of the play's themes and characters. The video examines Hamlet's interactions with other characters, such as Polonius, Rosencrantz, Guildenstern, and Ophelia, and how his behavior impacts them. It highlights the dramatic irony and deception present in the play, ultimately emphasizing the ambiguity Shakespeare creates, prompting viewers to question what is real and what is fake.

What is the significance of the ambiguity surrounding Hamlet's madness?

• It allows the audience to interpret the play in multiple ways.

• It makes the play more confusing and hard to follow.

• It is a minor detail with little impact on the play.

• It shows that Shakespeare was unsure about the plot.

Why does Hamlet decide to feign madness?

• To investigate Claudius's guilt without raising suspicion.

• To distract himself from his grief.

• To entertain himself and his friends.

• To make his mother feel guilty.

How does Hamlet use classical mythology in his soliloquy?

• To express his love for Ophelia.

• To compare his father to Hyperion and Claudius to a satyr.

• To compare his father to a satyr.

• To show his indifference towards his uncle.

What does Hamlet mean when he calls Polonius a 'fishmonger'?

• He is suggesting Polonius is trading information.

• He is mocking Polonius's intelligence.

• He is accusing Polonius of being a thief.

• He is complimenting Polonius's honesty.

What is the dramatic irony in Hamlet's interaction with Polonius?

• Hamlet is unaware of Polonius's true intentions.

• The audience knows Hamlet is pretending, but Polonius does not.

• Polonius knows Hamlet is pretending to be mad.

• Polonius is pretending to be mad as well.

How does Hamlet describe the world to Rosencrantz and Guildenstern?

• As a beautiful and vibrant place.

• As a sterile promontory and a prison.

• As a paradise full of opportunities.

• As a chaotic and unpredictable environment.

What does Hamlet mean by 'I am but mad, North-Northwest'?

• He is only pretending to be mad at certain times.

• He is always confused and disoriented.

• He is mad only when the wind blows from the north.

• He is genuinely mad and cannot control it.

How does Ophelia react to Hamlet's madness?

• She decides to leave Denmark to escape the chaos.

• She laments his altered sanity and begins her own descent into madness.

• She is unaffected and continues with her life.

• She becomes angry and confronts him.

What event finally causes Ophelia to snap?

• The arrival of Fortinbras's army.

• Hamlet's rejection of her love.

• Her brother's departure from Denmark.

• The death of her father, Polonius.

What theme does Ophelia's madness highlight in the play?

• The power of love.

• The inevitability of fate.

• The destructive nature of deception.

• The importance of family loyalty.