Hamlet is often viewed as a tragedy, but the character of Hamlet is also
             a portrait of the human condition. It is by focusing on Hamlet's humanity
             that Shakespeare is able to create such a memorable character. Hamlet
             cannot reconcile his emotion with his reason, and as a result, becomes the
             perfect case study for the psychological effects of grief, anger, and
             indecision. This paper will analyze Hamlet's mental decline and examine
             how his circumstances contributed to his condition.
             We are told the years that Shakespeare wrote were "among the most
             exciting in English history" (Mowat xxviii). Due to the invention of the
             printing press, literature was becoming available to those who previously
             had no way to access it. This "literary output fed directly into
             Shakespeare's plays," says Barbara Mowat. Hamlet's depiction of the
             society he was living in reflects the "Neoplatonic wonderment at mankind"
             (xxviii), according to Mowat. The Renaissance was a time of "intellectual
             rebirth and religious reformation in Denmark" (Blits). An important aspect
             of this movement includes the fact that the pagan beliefs "rediscovered by
             the Renaissance and pursued by Hamlet emphasizes the radical inwardness of
             the soul" (Levy). These elements all become apparent through the character
             of Hamlet as he struggles between the new humanistic beliefs and the old
             traditional beliefs. Shakespeare skillfully illustrates the inner turmoil
             man encounters when confronted with such a conflict in thinking in Hamlet.
             Through Hamlet's seemingly split personality, Shakespeare is showing us two
             Our first encounter with Hamlet introduces us to a grief-stricken man.
             His grief is compounded with the shock of his mother's remarriage and these
             two components pave the way for the conflicts that will forever haunt
             Hamlet. Gertrude's quick remarriage is the first blow to Hamlet's belief
             system. If his mother is ...