FEIGNED MADNESS

'Feigned madness' is a state of imitated mental illness. In modern times, the insanity defense is the act of feigning madness to avoid or lessen a conviction in a court of law.
Such an act can also be used to divert suspicion, perhaps in advance of an act of revenge. Examples of this are Shakespeare's Hamlet, who feigns madness in order to speak freely, Lucius Junius Brutus, who feigned madness until the time when he was able to drive the people to insurrection, and David, who feigned madness in order to escape from King Achish. In all of these examples, the act of feigning madness reduces the perceived threat of the actor, in the eyes of his persecutors.

Contents

References

See also

References

★ David and king Achish

★ Lucius Junius Brutus

★ Hamlet

See also

★ Insanity defense

★ Mental illness