The most important difference between Ophelia and Hamlet's
madness in Act 4 is the fact that Ophelia is, in fact, gone crazy, while Hamlet is
merely continuing to put his "antic disposition on." Hamlet's behavior in the first few
scenes is "crazy" because he needs to maintain the illusion of madness as a cover story
for his murder of Polonius. He didn't intend to kill him, but he did nevertheless kill
a man and that act has put in more danger with Claudius. Claudius will now be seen as
more "justified" in taking action to control Hamlet. Hamlet seems to enjoy acting crazy
because each time he does, he gets to say all the things he wants to say without regard
to the relationships he supposedly has with the people around. He can tell Rosencrantz
and Guildenstern that they are merely sponges who soak up the King's favors. He can
call his uncle his mother and defend himself. He can insult the king by explaining how
the king, as worm food, could actually go through the digestive track of a lowly
beggar. In his "right mind" he would never speak this
way!
Ophelia, on the other hand, has been put through too
much for her mind to handle, and she has truly lost her sanity. Over the course of a
few days she has been told to break up with her boyfriend, who later told her to go to a
nunnery and that the never loved her. That same boyfriend killed her father. Her
behavior -- specifically the singing of seemingly random snatches of songs (alluding to
her father's death and her betrayal by Hamlet) and handing out flowers while hardly
engaging with those around her are sure signs of madness. Her subsequent suicide is the
final act of a crazy woman.
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