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The Hamlet Syndrome

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  • Jeffrey R. Wilson
  • Henry F. Fradella

Abstract

Bringing together legal, literary, and cultural studies, this article builds from a close reading of madness in William Shakespeare?s play Hamlet to some psycho-social theories of malingering and the insanity defense in the modern United States. The basis of these theories is the notion that feigned madness ? whether purposeful malingering or a failed insanity defense ? often signifies actual madness of a lesser sort. When someone is found to be ?faking it,? however, that discovery can result in a widespread assumption of mental health in the person on trial, an assumption that often turns out to be wrong.

Suggested Citation

  • Jeffrey R. Wilson & Henry F. Fradella, "undated". "The Hamlet Syndrome," Working Paper 358036, Harvard University OpenScholar.
    • Handle: RePEc:qsh:wpaper:358036
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    File URL: http://wilson.fas.harvard.edu//node/358036
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