Do you think that Hamlet has created his own insanity, or has he lost his sense of reality completely?

Ever since Hamlet spoke to his father's spirit, Hamlet has been acting unusual. To characters like Claudius, Gertrude, and Polonius, Hamlet seems to be going insane which Polonius clearly states: "your noble son is mad. Mad call I it, for, to define true madness, What is ’t but to be nothing else but mad?" (Act II Scene II 94-96). However to the audience, who have a deeper insight into what Hamlet has experienced, his unusual behavior can be justified because they can put Hamlet's odd behavior into context.

After learning his father was murdered by his uncle, it is understandable that Hamlet would begin to act cold toward his family and so called friends because the people he had believed to be his loving family were actually greedy, murderous backstabbers. The resulting behavior is a result of his desire to seek vengeance. Hamlet's moody behavior is cold and calculated as to mislead others while allowing himself to ascertain the truth. One example of this is when he invites his uncle Claudius to a play he created as to evoke remorse from Claudius to see if he is trully guilty: "One scene of it comes near the circumstance Which I have told thee of my father’s death. I prithee, when thou seest that act afoot, Even with the very comment of thy soul Observe mine uncle. If his occulted guilt Do not itself unkennel in one speech, It is a damnèd ghost that we have seen, And my imaginations are as foul" (Act III Scene II 70-77).