There is no denying that Hamlet demonstrates extreme intelligence. This was inevitable, as he was accepted and educated at the prestigious University of Wittenberg. The only reason he left university was to attend his father's funeral and he intended to return once it was finished. He only delayed his plans at his mother's request, and he did so reluctantly. The clearest demonstration of Hamlet's intelligence is seen in his fondness for puns. Breaking out of commonly accepted linguistic patterns and delving into deeper meanings requires great mental effort. Hamlet does this every time he talks to someone who would prevent him from achieving his goals. Let's consider a particularly poignant example. Observe: Claudio: How come the clouds still hang over you? Hamlet: Not so, my lord, I am too exposed to the sun. There are three levels here. The first is extremely literal, as Claudius thinks Hamlet is surrounded by clouds, and Hamlet rebuts by saying that the sun evaporated them. This, however, is absurd. Giving it its logical symbolism we see that Claudius wonders why Hamlet is still depressed. Hamlet replies that anyone who has as much favor with the king (the sun) as he does cannot be depressed. This is normal for Hamlet, taking people's metaphors and expanding them. The third level is more intelligent and goes like this: Claudius treated Hamlet like a son, which offends Hamlet. He feels that not only has Claudius commandeered Old Hamlet's title, possessions, and wife, but he is also trying to appropriate Hamlet's feelings for his father. With wit, Hamlet once again turns the conversation the way he wants it to go. It is this type of verbal control that makes Hamlet a hostile... middle of paper... who comes to a logical conclusion. This is the thought. Not so appreciated is subconscious thinking. It works the same way as primary thinking, but it happens effortlessly and without you realizing it. The end result is vague feelings on which a particularly perceptive person can act. Hamlet shows that he senses these subliminal warnings with his comment, “It is but a trifle, but it is a kind of gain that / Perhaps would trouble a woman.” (V, ii, 202 - 3) However, he does not give much importance to these feelings, defining them as feminine. Hamlet made mistakes throughout the play, such as Killing Polonius when he intended to kill Claudius and failing to control Laertes' fencing. blades. However, those choices were all made in the heat of the moment. Whenever Hamlet has time to exercise his intelligence, he arrives at the right decision every time.