One of the main arguments surrounding the famous play Hamlet, written by Shakespeare, centers on the question of whether the main character Hamlet was actually mad or just pretending to be mad . Shakespeare does not directly state Hamlet's madness but rather alludes to it throughout the play, leaving the reader to decide their own interpretation. Hamlet's madness can be seen in his rash decisions, extreme mood swings, and the bold way he speaks to the king. However, this can be deemed reasonable because being mad temporarily satisfies his conscience, gives him some protection from Claudius, and gives Hamlet time to prove Claudius guilty. In the play as a whole, Hamlet's choice to be mad characterizes him as intelligent and reveals the inner turmoil surrounding his mission to avenge his father's death. Hamlet is characterized as a cunning and devious genius when he chooses to act like a madman and put on several performances. act like that. As Claudius demands Polonius' body from Hamlet, Hamlet states, "Your worm is your only emperor in matters of diet." We fatten all other creatures to fatten ourselves, and we fatten ourselves for maggots. Your fat king and your skinny beggar are just a variable service: two dishes but only one table. It’s over” (4,3,22). In a strange response to say the least, no one in their right mind would ever dare say this to a king for fear of being reprimanded. Hamlet, on the other hand, acts foolishly to protect himself somewhat from the king's harm and quietly threaten him at the same time. This clever way of threatening Claudius reveals Hamlet's rather high intelligence and scheming. When speaking to Ophelia, Hamlet asks: “You jig, you wander, and you lisp; you nickname God's creatures and make your carelessness your ignorance. Come on I won't talk more about it middle of paper...... right after he decides not to stab Claudius during prayer because he wants to make sure Claudius' soul is " …as damned and black as hell, wherever he goes…” ​​He does not want Claudius to be sent to heaven but rather to hell. This hasty decision can be seen as madness, but it also reveals Hamlet's inner confusion because when he finally has the audacity to act, he acts too quickly and kills the wrong person, which shows how he desperately wants to prove that he is brave and courageous. noble son of his late father, and not “with pigeon liver”. Real or not, Hamlet's acts of madness turned out to play a vital role in the play. This was both rational and irrational at times, making his character inconsistent and open to multiple interpretations, but for the most part it was deemed reasonable. Due to this madness, Hamlet is characterized as a cunning and extremely intelligent genius..