Hamlet: Insane or Lucid?

       Though Hamlet may have several sporadic, "crazy" outbursts, he's far from being a madman. In fact, it could be argued that he's one of the sanest characters in the play. Not only does Hamlet prove to have a conscience from the start, but he also (for the most part) handles the situations that arise in a very mature and thought out manner. His parental figures and supporting characters involved, however, do not do the same. Now maybe Hamlet isn't exactly "sane," but he sure does seem that way in comparison with any other characters in the play.

     In the beginning, Hamlet's mother grieves the death of her "beloved" husband by doing nothing other than marrying his brother. Why that doesn't scream "insane woman!" From the start remains a mystery. Hamlet, on the other hand, truly grieves for his father. He displays his innermost feelings through thoughtful soliloquies while his widowed mother is busy cooing over her new husband. At least Hamlet is actually truthful and respectful of the King's death. His expressions of sadness and grief are only fitting of the situation, while the other characters reactions simply don't seem to add up.
       Aside from Queen Gertrude, the new found King Claudius doesn't seem to properly grieve the death of his own brother either. We find out why a little ways into the play (*spoiler alert: Claudius killed his own brother*). Now, does that seem like the sane thing to do? Kill ones own brother to get the throne? Seems like a rather selfish act, while Hamlet is doing everything in his power to avenge his father, though he has many internal struggles when it comes down to the fact of the matter. What sane person wouldn't struggle with the idea of killing someone else, no matter who they are? Of anything, Hamlet is the sane one. After all, he's not the one who began the murdering.
       All in all, the stigma that Hamlet is an insane madman is incredibly incorrectly perceived. Maybe he isn't sane as far as today's criteria goes, but in Shakespearean time, when compared with the other characters, he might as well be a saint. While his uncle and mother are busy committing murder against their family and marrying the killer, Hamlet was simply being a normal teenage guy. In all actuality, Hamlet handles situations the way any boy who just lost his father would. Well, at least in accordance with the time period. Rather than focusing on how insane Hamlet is, people should spend more time seeing how much more insane everyone else in the play is.