Sanity?

   
In this section of act two scene two, Hamlet is attempting to convince the outside world that he is insane.  One person that he particularly dislikes is Polonius, because of how protective of Ophelia  he is.  Throughout this scene, Hamlet berates Polonius, and uses his insanity as a guise for the insults. Hamlet calls Polonius a fishmonger, which at first could be interpreted as meaningless babbling, but is actually used as an insult describing the relationship between Polonius and Ophelia as one between a pimp and a prostitute.  Next, Hamlet harps upon how old Polonius is, and that in his reading old people are described as without wit.  Polonius realizes that there is some meaning to everything Hamlet's says, but is unsure of what that meaning is.

Hamlet hanging upside-down with his book on his face is an attempt to appear insane.  Hamlet is also barefoot, and paces back and forth during his conversation with Polonius, furthering the illusion of insanity.  As Polonius exits, the camera angle changes to a black and white view from above, like footage from a security camera.  He then shouts "these tedious old fools," and Polonius hears him and pauses for a second.  This is interesting, because that line was aside, or not meant to be heard by the other actors.  However, shouting something like that only adds to Hamlet's insanity.

After Polonius exits, Hamlet greets his two friends Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, and questions them about their presence in Denmark.  Hamlet knows that the King and Queen sent for his friends because of his fits of insanity.  Hamlet even reveals to his two friends that he has been depressed recently, and that nothing excites him anymore.  Hamlet continues to act crazy in front of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, which begs the question of weather he is acting, or something is actually wrong with him and he has gone crazy.

In the scene where Hamlet tells his friends that he is not mad, and only acting for the King and Queen, he has an insane look on his face.  It seems that if Hamlet had control over his sanity, he would be explaining his "fake" bouts of insanity to his friends in a calm way.   However, in this version he is easily excitable, and is making weird faces and noises.  Hamlet actually seems saner when he talks to Polonius, one of the people he is trying to convince of his insanity, than when he talks to his friends.  This production has tangled lines between sanity and insanity.