Madness may be “mental incapacity caused by an unmentionable injury.” 
Such wounds often are not easily perceived but may be revealed in time
of stress.  Hamlet’s question, “have you a daughter?”(Act II. Sc2 182)
Polonius about the Prince’s emotional state.  What is hidden will surely
be told to Cloudius by his adviser.  Laertes’ search for revenge is
sharper proof that madness in degrees of publicity causes harm to the
observers.  Claudius promise “no wind of blame”(Act IV, Sc.7,66) once
Laertes kills Hamlet; perhaps this is what the uncle has sought all
along for himself.  Ophelia has a unique, very powerful form of madness;
she seems caught as a “baker’s daughter,"(Act IV, Sc. 5, 42) between
memories of her father and Hamlet who ought have  spokedn to her of
events on “Valentine’s day."(Act IV, Sc 5, 48)  She is doubly hexed and
the madness she has infects the whole court.  Once a person’s mental
state has been studied in public, there is no telling the injuries which
may affect the viewers. 


 Ever since the death of King Hamlet young Hamlet has been what appeared
to be in a state of madness.  In a discussion between Hamlet and
Polonius Hamlet questions Polonius by asking him “have you a
daughter.”(Act II, Sc.2, 182)  In this discussion Hamlet shows antic
behavior towards Polonius by mocking him when Hamlet would usually show
great respect for him because of he age and heis high position in the
court.  This sudden question to Polonius has caused Polonius to believe
that Hamlet has a form of love-sickness and that Polonius is sure to
tell Claudius of his condition.  Hamlet also accuses Polonius of being
the “Jephthah, judge of Israel,”(Act II,Sc.2, 399) meaning that Polonius
would put his country in front of his daughter.  Hamlet has now
convinced Polonius that he is in a state of madness because he knows
that Polonius cares for his daughter very much and would never put her
second.  By convincing Polonius that he has no consideration for the
well-being of others, Hamlet is then hoping that Polonius will tell the
court of his emotional madness.

 Unlike Hamlet, Laertes has developed a different kind of madness, a
madness that is controlled by revenge.   When Laertes is talking to
Claudius, Laertes gets so much revenge building up inside him against
Hamlet that Laertes now wants to “cut his throat.”(Act 4,Sc.7,125) 
Laertes’ behavior is caused by the sudden death of his father who was
without a due ceremony, and his sister who has been driven mad, has
contributed to the madness that is being built up inside Laertes.  This
madness grows even stronger when Claudius promises “no wind of
blame”(Act IV.Sc7,66) when Laertes kills Hamlet.  With Claudius being
the puppet holder and Laertes being the puppet, Claudius turns Laertes
into a savage beast to avenge for his fathers' death; perhaps this is
what the Claudius has planned all along.   Laertes has a form of madness
that is escalating because Laertes knows that he has the capabilities
and motivation to act on what he believes on.

 Ophelia has a unique form of madness unlike Hamlet’s and Laertes’
because it a mixture of  love and hate.  An example of hate is when she
sings about a “baker's daughter.”(Act IV,Sc.5,42)  Ophelia is referring
to the way her father used to treat her before the tragic incident of
his death.  A love within her madness is when she speaks about the
events on “Valentine’s day.”(Act IV, Sc.5,48)  When Ophelia speaks about
Valentines day she is referring to the events of romance that she was
denied.  Ophelia’s madness is brought on by her lack of being able to
demonstrate any maturity in trying to cope with her losses and in return
can only inflict her madness on the court.

 By stating that Hamlet could have controlled his fraudulent madness, he
then had the capability of controlling his conscious mind into acting
traditional.  Where Laertes was very influential by others and had no
real control over the mental state he was developing by the sway of 
Claudius.  Ophelia was the most innocent victim of all because she was
the side affect of everyone else’s actions and had no idea that she was
mentally disintegrating.    It can be noticed that within each of these
three people there can be no reassurance on what the affect they may
have on others due to their mental state in public.

