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 his primary way of interacting with other characters throughout most of the play, as well as being one of the main tools Shakespeare uses to develop his character. 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 appearance of things around him and worries whether he can trust his perceptions, doubting the authenticity of his father's ghost and his tragic claims. Because he is contemplative to the point of obsession, Hamlet's decision to feign madness will occasionally bring him dangerously 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. feigning madness. Specifically, he declares, “I am but a north-northwest 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 confusion results in an extremely intense state of mind that is highly suggestive... middle of paper...m Laertes' desire to obtain 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 doesn't go as far as to take responsibility for Polonius' death, but he seems to act with a broader, more humane perspective after the shock of Ophelia's death. In conclusion, perhaps it is worth asking yourself this question: if a person in a rational state of mind decides to behave as if he were crazy, to abuse the people around him regardless of whether he loves them or hates them, and to give free expression to all his most antisocial thoughts, when he starts carrying out those actions, it will be possible to tell at what point he will stop pretending to be crazy and start to really be crazy??