Hamlet: Is He Insane? The term insanity means a mental disorder, whether it is temporary or permanent, that is used to describe a person when they don't know the difference between right or wrong. They don't consider the nature of their actions due to the mental defect.(“Insanity”, sturtevant) In William Shakespeare's play “ Hamlet” Shakespeare leads you to believe that the main character, Hamlet, might be insane. There are many clues to suggest Hamlet is insane but infact he is completely sane. Throughout the play Hamlet makes wise decisions to prove he is not insane. He knows exactly what he is leading up to. He just delays to ac