The Shakespeare Conference: SHK 16.1507  Tuesday, 13 September 2005

From: 		Alan Pierpoint <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
Date: 		Sunday, 11 Sep 2005 06:44:40 EDT
Subject: 16.1486 Stereotyping Hamlet..."wandering aimlessly"
Comment: 	Re: SHK 16.1486 Stereotyping Hamlet..."wandering aimlessly"

Bill Arnold writes:  Why am I a lone reader who reflects upon Hamlet as 
the only sane and rationale (sic) player in a play of characters 
"wandering aimlessly" in their madness?

Hamlet as "sane and rational"?  Wouldn't it be better to say that, alone 
among the characters of the play, he responds with his intellect, his 
emotions, his moral sense, and even his madness, in a fully human way to 
the corruption and criminality of the rotten state of Denmark?   May I 
also assume that you mean "wandering aimlessly" in the moral sense?  If 
so, I agree.  This reminds me of R.D. Laing's claim, a generation or two 
ago, that schizophrenia is the sane response to an insane world.  It 
also leads us in the direction of a moral interpretation of the play, 
along the lines that Kenneth Chan has been suggesting, doesn't it? 
-Alan Pierpoint

_______________________________________________________________
S H A K S P E R: The Global Shakespeare Discussion List
Hardy M. Cook, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
The S H A K S P E R Web Site <http://www.shaksper.net>

DISCLAIMER: Although SHAKSPER is a moderated discussion list, the 
opinions expressed on it are the sole property of the poster, and the 
editor assumes no responsibility for them.

Subscribe to Our Feeds

Search

Make a Gift to SHAKSPER

Consider making a gift to support SHAKSPER.