Prince of Paranoia A study of Hamlets Personality Disorder

nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;When we first meet Hamlet, he is a sad, dark, loathsome figure; the loss of his father and the whoring of his mother have upset him indefinitely. Like a ticking time bomb, Hamlet’s noticeable temper reflects the storm of emotions and thoughts brewing in his head, and then like a catalyst, his meeting with the Ghost of King Hamlet brings his anger to a boil. With revenge in mind, Hamlet plans to fake his madness so that he may be free to pursue his father’s killer. Everyone, except his close friend Horatio, seems convinced that he is mad. Claudius however, fearful that someone will discover his evil deed, has also had his perceptions heightened by his guilt and he experiences chronic paranoia throughout the†¦show more content†¦Then, in hearing Gertrude’s cry for help, Polonius hollers for help, revealing his position. In all his fury and confusion, Hamlet draws his sword and stabs Polonius through the arras, killing him. In a boo klet printed by the National Institute of Mental Health, hypersensitivity is said to be a common condition of paranoia. â€Å"Because persons with paranoid personality disorder are hyperalert, they notice any slight and may take offense where none is intended. As a result, they tend to be defensive and antagonistic. When they are at fault, they cannot accept blame, not even mild criticism. Yet they are highly critical of others. Other people may say that these individuals make ‘mountains out of molehills’† (NIMH). Interestingly enough, Hamlet believed the man behind the arras was the king. â€Å"Nay I know not, is it the king?† (3, 4, 26). How could Claudius have moved from the chapel to behind an arras in Gertrude’s bedroom in shorter time than it took Hamlet? For an instant, Hamlet looses contact with reality and neglects reason, another indication of paranoia. Those suffering from paranoia can also have hallucinations and they can hear things that are not really there. Hamlets hallucinations are very clear when he sees his fathers ghost in his mother’s bedroom. He sees and hears his father’s ghost while his mother does not: Gertrude: quot;To whom to you speak this?quot; Hamlet: quot;Do you see nothing there?quot; Gertrude: quot;Nothing at all,