Madness

Question 1

Key ideas for madness

Answer 1

Feigned vs real madness, emotional and psychological instability.

Question 2

Key quotes for madness

Answer 2

“Though this be madness, yet there is method in’t.” (Polonius, 2.2)

“I essentially am not in madness, / But mad in craft.” (Hamlet, 3.4)

“There’s rosemary, that’s for remembrance.” (Ophelia, 4.5)

Question 3

Characters that link to madness

Answer 3

Hamlet: Feigns madness, but also shows signs of psychological instability.

Ophelia: Real madness caused by grief and patriarchal control.

Question 4

Context for madness

Answer 4

Elizabethan beliefs about the four humours and mental imbalance.

Women’s madness seen as tied to sexuality and obedience.

Question 5

Interpretation of madness

Answer 5

Feminist critics argue Ophelia’s madness reflects her powerlessness in a patriarchal society.