**Hamlet is most certainly emotional, but definitely not insane.** Hamlet is emotional, grief-stricken existentialist whose deep moments of introspection at times bordered the realms of narcissism. Regardless, there is enough evidence to suggest that he always knew what he was doing, even until the very end: • _Grief-stricken_: Hamlet makes his first appearance in [Act 1 Scene 2](https://www.sparknotes.com/nofear/shakespeare/hamlet/page_18/), which takes place just two months after his beloved father’s death. He is bitter at his mother’s union with his uncle, who we later learn poisoned Hamlet’s father to become King. These events lead him to question the meaning of life and the true nature of humanity throughout the play. It is these deep philosophical soliloquys which can serve as evidence for Hamlet’s soundness of mind. • _Calculating_: Hamlet is a scholar, and thus uses his wit and intellect to toy with those who he sees as foolish. He does this by making them believe that he is mad, whilst weaving clever yet cruel insults into his speeches. Such examples of this can be found during his interactions with [Polonius](https://www.sparknotes.com/nofear/shakespeare/hamlet/page_102/) and his old friends [Rosencrantz and Guildenstern](https://www.sparknotes.com/nofear/shakespeare/hamlet/page_106/). • _Self-aware_: In the second half of the play, Hamlet becomes more irate and determined to avenge his father’s murder. This leads him to mistreat his love interest [Ophelia](https://www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/hamlet/character/ophelia/) and carelessly murder her father Polonius, a combination of which drives Ophelia to actual madness and her own death. Yet despite all of this, we could argue that Hamlet remains self-aware throughout the play. For example, he is [critical](https://www.nosweatshakespeare.com/quotes/soliloquies/to-be-or-not-to-be/#full) of his inaction for hesitating to expose Claudius for his crimes. He also comes to a state of [mutual forgiveness](https://www.sparknotes.com/nofear/shakespeare/hamlet/page_318/) towards Laertes who he had wronged in the play, too. These examples demonstrate that Hamlet always knew what he was doing, and therefore always had control over his mind. All in all, Hamlet is a multi-faceted character. His deep flaws, confusion and outbursts do not make him insane, but rather more human. It is _this_ fact that makes him, in my opinion, one of Shakespeare’s most captivating protagonists.