Mad as the sea and wind

We may not know the answer to whether or not Gertrude ends up on Hamlet's side, but one thing is for certain: Gertrude speaks some beautiful lines. One such phrase that I noticed as I was reading Hamlet came at a rather odd time - it is when Gertrude is describing Hamlet's madness to Claudius. "Mad as the sea and wind when both contend/Which is the mightier" is how she describes him (Hamlet, 4.1.7-8). The first thing that I liked about these words is the way Gertrude gives a whole new perspective on a sea storm. I have never thought about a storm as a battle between the sea and the wind, and yet that is a perfect and poetic way to describe it. The second thing that I noticed upon deeper reflection of this phrase was the fact that we can find beauty in even the hardest, most confusing times. At this point in Hamlet, there is a lot of darkness. Polonius has just died, Ophelia is beginning to tumble into insanity, and Hamlet has never felt more alone. So why does the audience keep watching? Why do we keep reading? I think that part of the answer comes from expressions like this, expressions that make us pause and wonder about life. I think this is a wonderful metaphor for life and the fact that we can find beauty along any journey.

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