Hamlet Quote by William Shakespeare
““I will be brief: your noble son is mad: Mad call I it; for, to define true madness, What is't but to be nothing else but mad?””
About This Quote
Source Play: King Lear, Act 1, Scene 4
Madness is defined as being nothing but madness; the speaker questions the nature of true insanity.
In simple terms: Madness is being wholly mad.
Question what truly defines madness.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- theatre
- literature
- personal reflection
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- Is madness a label or a state?
- Can one be mad and sane simultaneously?
Interpretations vary across cultures.