Hamlet and King Lear - Edgar and Lear :: comparison compare contrast essays

Hamlet and fag Lear Madness- Ophelia in Hamlet and Edgar in King Lear In both Hamlet and King Lear, Shakespeare incorporates a theme of madness with two characters one truly mad, and one only acting mad to serve a motive. The madness of Hamlet is much disputed. This paper argues that the contrapuntal character in each make, namely Ophelia in Hamlet and Edgar in King Lear, acts as a balancing argument to the another(prenominal) characters madness or sanity. King Lears more decisive distinction between Lears frailty of mind and Edgars contrived madness works to better define the alliance between Ophelias breakd cause and Hamlets north-north-west brand of insanity. Both plays offer a character on each side of sanity, but in Hamlet the distinction is not as reform as it is in King Lear. Using the more explicit relationship in King Lear, one finds a better correspondence of the relationship in Hamlet. While Shakespeare does not directly pit Ophelias insanity (or breakdown) agai nst Hamlets madness, there is instead a clear definitiveness in Ophelias condition and a clear uncertainty in Hamlets madness. Obviously, Hamlets character offers more evidence, while Ophelias breakdown is quick, but more conclusive in its precision. Shakespeare offers clear evidence pointing to Hamlets sanity beginning with the number 1 scene of the play. Hamlet begins with guards whose main importance in the play is to give credibility to the ghost. If Hamlet were to see his fathers ghost in private, the argument for his madness would greatly improve. Yet, not one, but three men together witness the ghost before even thinking to notify Hamlet. As Horatio says, being the only of the guards to play a significant role in the rest of the play, Before my God, I might not this believe / Without the sensible and true avouch / Of mine own eyes. (I.i.56-8) Horatio, who appears frequently throughout the play, acts as an unquestionably sane alibi to Hamlet again when framing the King with h is reaction to the play. That Hamlet speaks to the ghost alone detracts or so from its credibility, but all the men are witness to the ghost demanding they speak alone. Horatio offers an insightful warning What if it tempts you toward the flood, my lord, Or to the dreadful summit of the cliff That beetles oer his stolid into the sea, And there assume some other horrible form Which might deprive your sovereignty of reason, And draw you into madness?