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Madness in great ones must not unwatched go
(Hamlet, III. i.189) Last seen: 1 day 19 by Nomae | General | 21.05.11
hours ago The night
The burdens bore by great men are difficult to sustain.Shakespeare
acknowledges this as he plays the several facets of madness through Joined: 03.09.2009 by Ndrek Gjini | General | 20.05.11
various scenarios.Shakespeare's Tragedies are a study of the human Points: 723 The Gathering Storm S W C
psyche and how those under burdensome conditions behave when faced by Bernadette | Haiku | 20.05.11
with extreme situations and increasing pressure.History has shown that MORE BY THIS USER
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great men under strain have fallen victim to madness.This madness brings
Poetry Entries | by Conroynaas | Experimental | 20.05.11
about the end of the character in question and often the epoch they
occupied or instigated.The philosophy mentioned above, spoken by King DEAF MUTE fragments haiku
Claudius in Hamlet, echoes throughout Shakespeare's tragedies, as the by JACK | Haiku | 20.05.11
Poetry Entries |
grievances of once respectable personalities swell absorbing their very
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being, fracturing the fragile balance of their conscious thinking.Tragedy
by MaxDog | General | 20.05.11
ensues as madness gets a grip, distorting reality.Thereby we witness a Poetry Entries | A
perversion of the natural course of events as matters take a turn for the WATCHED KETTLE
worst, be this melancholic Hamlet who goes "mad north-north west" and NEVER BOILS WRITINGS TAGS
murders Polonius in a case of rash action and mistaken identity or Lear
who disowns his daughters, turning his back on society as he marches into Poetry Entries | drama Family funny High

a storm in a fit of rage.Perhaps too, Othello who suspects adultery and Reprieve Fantasy Humour life love

plots against his loyal and trusted Lieutenant, Cassio and indeed Macbeth Napoleonic war politics Science
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and his Lady who having taking drastic actions to fulfil their ambitious Society tinged with humour
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desires find their prosperous lives thwarted by ghosts and other more tags
manifestations of a guilty conscious.What might Shakespeare hope to See all Writings by user
teach and enlighten by treading the dark path of the human mind?Madness WHO'S ONLINE
and man his age old antagonist.Indeed medical opinion was very different
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in Shakespeare's time although new ideas were emerging as anatomical
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knowledge greatly increased, but the mind and body were still considered
as one whole field.Shakespeare probes what force in nature makes these Tiny Tom Koch
hard hearts and frenzied minds.The once healthy minds of respected and
admired men deteriorate and disintegrate when faced with stressful WHO'S NEW
ordeals within their own lives and these upstanding figures of society
become a danger to the community, to peace and stability creating TrudyWriter Jacob M kellieannf Aspiring Writer
disorder and chaos, the only possible outcome being removal and the Eris allison BEN999 Susan Condon
death of the protagonist.For Shakespeare's tragic heroes the enemy is
often closer at hand than one might think.The greatest enemy is the enemy
within, sanity versus insanity and sometimes it takes little to tip the scales
in favour.

1. Madness in Shakespeare

1. (i) Madness, trickster of the Mind

Madness and insanity are recurring themes throughout Shakespeare's

dramas.Madness in Shakespeare can be many things; the guise assumed

1 of 2 21/05/2011 16:25
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2 of 2 21/05/2011 16:25