Originally Posted by SmallAsWhoa
peam:
it's been a while since i read hamlet...but i think i can help u.
hamlet puts on an "antic disposition" in order to be able to move around the castle, Elsinore, safely. he pretends to be crazy so that Claudius will not be aware of his true motive, which is to kill him and avenge his father's death. After putting on this antic disposition, Hamlet is free to wander the castle and try to uncover the answer to his question. Did Claudius kill his father? Without pretending to be crazy, Claudius would become aware of Hamlet's true motives very quickly most likely.