In Shakespeare's play, Hamlet, the main character, Hamlet, the Prince of Denmark, uses a farce of madness to carry out his revenge plot . However, his mind is unable to justify the murder for any reason; therefore, he actually goes mad before he is able to carry out his plan. In contrast, Ophelia is openly mad and is used by Shakespeare to show the various forms of madness. According to Carney Landis and James D. Page, there are "three levels of social adaptation:" there is the "normal individual", the "neurotic", and the "psychotic" (Landis and page 9). The normal individual is just what the title says. He is accepted in society as a logical and stable person. Most people are classified as normal. The second level is the neurotic one. These people have “desires, emotions, and interests” that are not accepted by their society (Landis and Page 9). Some symptoms of the neurotic person include "excessive worries, chronic fatigue, absurd fears, obsessions and compulsions" (Landis and pages 9-10). Despite all this, these people are generally able to maintain a life within the demands of society. He is able to recognize his problems even if he cannot solve them. The third level is psychotic, completely maladapted to society. The actions of these people are uncontrollable neither by themselves nor by others. “His behavior is…considered irrational and incomprehensible by his associates” (Landis and Page 10). People with this mental disorder are usually hospitalized. There are many different varieties of neurosis and psychosis, all characterized by poor judgment, childish or incomprehensible behavior. Bernard Hart identifies the presence of complexes within the human psyche. He says that "Complex[...]a......middle of paper......im.With the appearance of the ghost and the tale of his murder, Hamlet begins his downward spiral towards his goal final." ruin. He develops a revenge complex in which his desire for revenge conflicts with his personality. This complex constantly evolves as the play progresses, creating intense discord within Hamlet himself. Ultimately Hamlet is forced to act, which almost leads to the downfall of everyone involved. Through this elaborate evaluation of Shakespeare's play, Hamlet, it is easy to see that Hamlet was mad both in his art and in reality James D. Page. Modern Society and Mental Illness New York: Farrar and Rinehart, 1938. Shakespeare, Norton Critical Ed., 1992.