On Friday, December 12, 2008 two debate teams entered room 204 in RDHS. These teams were about to debate whether or not Hamlet was mentaly unstable (and therefore not responsible for his actions). The affirmative side was comprised of Ms. Ilayda Williamson, Ms. Mary Collins and Ms. Michaela Blaser while Ms. Kelsey Campbell, Ms. Melissa Watson-Shotton and Ms. Jessica Barton made up the negative side. The debate was presided over by the Honourable Yannick Lee, the Honourable Jennifer Ross, and the Honourable Nicholas Leblond. As the judges issued there opening statement, they outlined there rules of engagement.
After the formalities, the affirmitive side issued their opening statement with Ilayda presenting the definition of insanity in shakespearean times. She argued that Hamlet went against the great chain of being, bedded an unmarried woman, had vengeful thoughts, killed friends, and babbled on about morbid topics, all characteristics of a crazy person.
The negative side argued that Hamlet's abnormal behaviour could be atributed to to the death of his father, as well as the events that followed. Ms. Campbell stated that anyone who was put into the situation that Hamlet was in would react in a similiar way, which means that he wasn't crazy, he was just adapting and coping.
The affirmitive side rebutted the negative's opening statement by arguing that, because of the amazing amount of truama that Hamlet suffers through out the book he developted a mental illness possibly post traumatic stress dissorder. No matter the definition of insanity someone who has post traumatic stress dissorder is mentally unstable.
The remainder of the debate consisted mainly of the two teams arguing about mental dissorders and whether or not Hamlet was prettending to be crazy in order to get to the King. After the dust had settled from a hotly contested debate, only th negative side was left standing.
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