In Act I, Scene V, after hearing the ghost's plea for vengeance, Hamlet says in advance that he will consciously pretend to be mad while seeking the opportune moment to kill Claudius . Therefore, it is difficult to conclude that he went crazy by coincidence after making such a vow. Hamlet's supposed madness becomes not only how he relates to other characters throughout the majority of the play, but also what develops his character throughout the play. However, the question remains: is Hamlet really mad or is he just pretending? The main conflict that seems to obscure the possibility of gaining clarity on the answer to this question is Hamlet's inability to find any moral truth as he works his way towards revenge. Even in his first encounter with the ghost, Hamlet questions the general appearance of things around him and worries whether or not he can trust his perceptions, his senses, not trusting in his father's appearance and his words . Because he is far too thoughtful, Hamlet's wise choice to feign madness will occasionally bring him close to actual madness. Indeed, it could be argued that, because of this conflict, it is impossible to say for sure whether or not Hamlet goes mad and, if so, when his fictions become reality. In contrast, Hamlet's sharp and pointed observations lend considerable credence to his ideas. feign madness; most notably, he declares, "I am but a north-north-west fool: when the wind is from the south, I know a hawk by a handsaw" (II.ii.361–362). That is, he is "crazy" only when he is oriented in a certain way, but is lucid the rest of the time. However, Hamlet's state of confusion somehow translates into a mood that is indicative of authenticity...... middle of paper ......and his half-apology to Laertes and self-contradiction of his repeated assertion that he is only pretending to be mad, Hamlet's desire to obtain Laertes' forgiveness clearly represents a major change in his mental state. While Hamlet was previously obsessed with himself and worried about his family, he is now able to think sympathetically of others. He does not take responsibility for Polonius' death, but seems to act with greater compassion after the upset of Ophelia's death. In conclusion, and in the light of Hamlet, the following question should be asked: if someone in a rational state of mind chooses to behave like a true madman, for the purpose of abusing others, giving free freedom of speech and thought to make the role seem more complete, one could be quite certain at what point someone stops pretending to be crazy and actually starts being crazy??