Mad as the sea and wind when both contend/Which is mightier
I really loved this passage when reading Act Four because I think this line is so powerful. First of all this line is poetry spoken by Gertrude. This is fitting for her character because in Shakespeare's plays the nobles typically speak in poetry form. (As mentioned in class this is because poetry is artful and crafted, much like nobles are.)
Secondly the analogy used is powerful in and of itself. The idea that the winds and sea are fighting for power, brings forth images of boiling seas and waves crashing on ragged shores. With modern media many have seen images of this epic battle, especially when hurricanes hit landfall. Many know that the sea and the wind together can be a powerful force and virtually nothing can stop it. With Gertrude comparing Hamlet to this epic struggle she is making a very powerful point. Hamlet's "madness" has made him uncontrollable. He seems to be unstoppable and indeed unpredictable.
What is even better with this analogy is that Hamlet acts out and kills Polonius, because in a way he does have forces contending inside him. Gertrude does not even realize this but his cowardice and his need for revenge are struggling inside of him for power over his actions. In many ways this is driving him to madness because one cannot have two masters without being torn apart. Hamlet prefers to fight people with words because he is afraid of actually taking action. However his father has exhorted him to avenge his death. He has two opposite forces inside of him and so he acts rashly and in the moment, thus killing an innocent man. However he doesn't seem to fell guilty about murdering Polonius which might be a side effect of him finally reaching a breaking point as his soul continues to be in turmoil.
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