Don Quixote is a great example of how madness has been used as a driving force in a narrative. Their madness can be expressed in many different ways. Their madness is not as crazy as it seems, despite first impressions. We all have important questions to ask, such as what it means to be crazy, where justice belongs, and how valuable hope is.
What’s reasonable depends on how you think. The majority may not understand the actions of someone who is mad. While the “mad” men’s ideals may not seem strange to most, they are still atypical. But it is their behavior that has others baffled. Hamlet is looking for justice in the murder of Hamlet’s father, as well as his mother betrayal. Don Quixote is a man who wants to punish evil acts and protect innocent people. It is not that strange. It’s not so strange is it? 953)
This statement is argued to prove that he was not truly insane. Horatio warned Hamlet that following the ghost could lead to him becoming mad. Both stories have someone who recognizes the reason for their madness. Polonia, in Hamlet, examines Hamlet and Ophelia’s relationship to try to understand the source of Hamlet’s mania. Then he says, “Though there may be madness in this, yet, it is not.” (pg.956) Don Quixote is forced to admit that his explanation of why he did what he did was based on the “scales” of reason.
Don Quixote’s explanation of what madness is and what it looks like was a good one for everyone to consider. “When the world seems crazy, where is madness?” To be overly practical may be madness. Giving up your dreams could be a sign of madness. Madness is seeing life the way it is.
Both heroes explore justice under the disguise of madness. Hamlet’s value for justice is first demonstrated when he meets the ghost of his father, who claims to have been murdered. Hamlet, while believing the ghost, believes that his uncle killed his father. However, Hamlet does not act until he can prove it. Hamlet says he is mad so that his uncle will relax and let him in. Hopeful that his Uncle will admit to murdering his father. Hamlet still hesitates to avenge father, even when he knows his uncle was guilty. Hamlet’s need to prove innocence reinforces his belief that everyone is innocent until proven otherwise.
Hamlet is unable to act because he holds the ideal of Hamlet at an extreme level. In his haste to act, Hamlet accidentally kills Polonia. Hamlet’s hasty action also causes Ophelia to commit suicide and all the violence at the end. The tragic consequences of Hamlet’s rash action show how justice can be misguided and destroy innocent lives. This tragic consequence shows the importance of proof before committing punishments in the name justice. Don Quixote demonstrates how perspective affects the perception of justice.
Don Quixote came across a princess who was kidnapped, and the bandits had weapons. Don Quixote then charged into the fight to save the princess. It is hard to disagree with Don Quixote in this situation. It would be a simple case if the story ended there. This was not what he actually saw. In reality, the princess was just a woman who was being escorted by monks to the closest town. The example above shows the importance of prospective in justice. Don Quixote is shown a grouping of giants that are roaming a large field. This is an example of perspective. Don Quixote fights these giants in order to protect people from the danger.
It’s obvious that Don Quixote’s vision was not reality. Don Quixote actually attacked windmills and not giants. Don Quixote, again, tried to protect the uninnocent, but failed. Instead, he hurt everyone, even himself. Hamlet was adamant that he needed more information before acting, while Don Quixote acted without proof. Both are needed to ensure justice is delivered.
Hope is why they are so different. Both consider hope to be a great gift for humanity. Hamlet has clearly lost all hope since the death of father. He has become so depressed that he is now questioning whether he should continue to live. His monologue “To Be, or Not to Be …”(pg. 960” is the most famous. In this monologue, he asks whether physical pain is better for the soul than a “sea full of troubles”(pg. 960). The expression shows that the person has given up. Now he is looking for ways to make their own deaths more noble. Even when he is dead, he does not cling on to life. Instead, if he says “I am Dead” (pg. 980). His madness made him end it all, even though he had accepted death long before the story began. In his madness, he asked himself, “Why should I continue to live?” His answer was that he wanted to give justice to his dad, the cause of his initial madness.
Hamlet was driven mad by Hamlet, which gave him hope that he could continue to live, even though the justice he sought wasn’t spoken to him. Don Quixote’s optimism was excessive, contrary to Hamlet. Hamlet had a grounded sense of reality, but Don Quixote was not. Hamlet, on the other hand, was unable do this. Don Quixote gradually loses faith in himself as he thinks about his journey. Before he could lose hope, he swore off everything chivalrous.
Hamlet is mad and so is Don Quixote. But that’s okay. These two madmen can teach us a lot. From justice to hope, there is much to learn from these two “madmen.” The two “madmen” were very wise and I was glad to have met them.
